Jan. 23, 2020: Taiwan's ranking of Global Corruption Perceptions Index in 2019 hit the best score

Transparency International (after this referred to as TI) announced the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index on January 23, 2020. One hundred eighty countries and regions (including Taiwan) are included in the evaluation, and Taiwan ranked 28th, an increase of 3 from the 31st in 2018. Taiwan’s score was 65 points, an increase of 2 points (out of 100 points) from 63 points in 2018, exceeding 84% of the countries evaluated. It is the best score since the new evaluation criteria in 2012. In recent years, the government's efforts and progress in promoting various anti-corruption actions in public and private sectors have gradually been implemented and achieved significant results.

The government attaches great importance to national integrity, transparency, and clean impression. In 2018, it invited experts and scholars at home and abroad, combined with the Executive Yuan, the Judicial Yuan, the Examination Yuan, the Control Yuan, and its total of 27 institutions, to comprehensively review Taiwan's implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Taiwan has completed its first national report after 21 domestic review and finalization meetings. To implement the information mentioned above, the Ministry of Justice has proposed a draft amendment to the Criminal Code's malfeasance chapter and introduced the "trading in influence," and a draft of the "Whistleblower Protection Bill," which integrates public and private sectors. Taiwan will continue to promote the completion of the bill and discuss the criminal liability and accountability mechanisms of legal persons to encourage the legal system and policies of our country in line with international standards and help improve the supervision of anti-corruption work in various sectors of society. The Agency Against Corruption makes its efforts to promote the transparency of administrative measures and important public constructions of the country to eliminate undue interference and improve people's perception of the government's image of integrity.

For a long time, the government's determination to fight against and clean out corruption has not changed. The Ministry of Justice not only required the prosecutor’s offices to strengthen evidence investigation, coordinate case handling, and prosecute cautiously but also published “Analysis and Compilation of the Cause of Innocence in Corruption Cases” and established a "Government Procurement Joint Audit Platform" with the Public Construction Commission, Executive Yuan, to provide a reference for prosecutors. Regular anti-corruption seminars are held every year to improve the professional knowledge of the investigation of corruption cases. These measures can improve TI's subjective impressions of public sector corruption and interactions between public and private sectors.

Besides, to achieve team goals, effectively integrate resources, and enhance the effectiveness of investigations, the Ministry of Justice requires the Agency Against Corruption and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau to set up fixed contact windows to improve interaction between the two agencies and establish a horizontal contact mechanism for resource sharing, information exchange, and cooperation. It is now running smoothly and with good results.

The Ministry of Justice will continue to work together with law enforcement agencies and ethics units to promote anti-corruption advocacy, strengthen civil servants' concept to uphold integrity, and cooperate with the people to fight corruption and increase people's confidence in government administration.