Taiwan: The missing link in the Interpol network

Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, plays an important role in coordinating the law enforcement efforts of countries. But excluding Taiwan, a law-abiding nation with immense potential, from the organization would seriously undermine its important work.

This exclusion is harmful. Taiwan’s role within the organization has been marginalized under the guise of a “political issue,” consistently ensuring Taiwan’s exclusion from meaningful participation in Interpol, thereby creating significant obstacles to crime prevention and intelligence sharing. , because our country would be unfairly excluded from Interpol. Interpol activities. Taiwan’s exclusion from Interpol is a significant setback to the organization’s mission to coordinate law enforcement efforts around the world.

Taiwan’s outstanding ability to conduct border security inspections and combat cross-border crimes such as terrorism and human trafficking is backed by real-time crime sharing through Interpol’s I-24/7 system and the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents Database. are greatly hampered by a lack of access to information. .

This means that important information exchanges are often outdated and inaccurate. But at the same time, in this era of globalization, with the proliferation of cross-border crimes, Taiwan’s passport, which provides visa-free access to 145 countries and territories, has become the main target of cross-border criminals. This is a global threat and should not be underestimated.

According to the 2023 Safety and Crime Rankings by database website Numbeo, Taiwan ranked third in safety out of 142 countries evaluated. The crime rate was also higher than other Asian countries and the third lowest among them. Taiwan has made significant contributions to international crime prevention. Possessing advanced technology and expertise, it benefits from a strategic geographical location, ensures global security and fosters strong international cooperation. As the world’s 21st largest economy and 17th largest exporter, Taiwan serves as an important bridge between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, serving as a hub for the flow of people, goods, and capital. .

Taiwan’s advanced technology and expertise could also significantly contribute to Interpol’s ability to fight modern crime. Taiwan is known for its expertise in preventing cybercrime, combating technology-related crimes, and investigating financial crimes. By sharing knowledge and providing technical assistance, Taiwan could significantly strengthen Interpol’s ability to respond to emerging criminal trends and effectively address the challenges posed by technology-driven crime. Additionally, Taiwan’s strategic geographic location provides unique advantages in supporting Interpol’s operations in East Asia.

Taiwan plays an important role in identifying and deterring criminal activity, thereby ensuring regional and global security. Taiwan’s participation in Interpol’s general assembly will enable Taiwanese law enforcement to interact with law enforcement from other countries, fostering cooperation and increasing global collective capacity to combat transnational crime. You could do that. By supporting Taiwan’s participation in the Interpol General Assembly, the world will take a major step toward achieving this goal. Therefore, Taiwan’s participation in Interpol is not simply a matter of national interest, but an important step toward strengthening global security. By correcting the historical injustices that have hindered Taiwan’s engagement, the world can tap into Taiwan’s expertise and resources.
Andy Yih-Ping Liu is the representative and head of the Taiwan Mission in Nigeria.

Source: guardian.ng