VP Chen reaffirms Taiwan’s commitment to combating human trafficking

2019/07/29

Taiwan is willing and able to work with like-minded partners around the world to combat human trafficking and ensure the well-being and safety of all, according to Vice President Chen Chien-jen July 25.
 
 Protecting human rights is a key component of the government’s policy platform, Chen said. Taiwan’s achievements in this regard are best evidenced by its 10 consecutive years of Tier 1 status in the Trafficking in Persons Report issued by the U.S. Department of State, he added.
 
 Chen made the remarks during the opening of the International Workshop on Combating Human Trafficking in Taipei City. Organized by the Ministry of the Interior, the two-day event involved 250-plus experts and officials from nearly 40 countries.
 
 Participants included members of the Taiwan diplomatic corps, representatives of global nongovernmental organizations like Rome-based Caritas Internationalis and South Korean Kim Jong-chul—one of the heroes honored in the U.S. State Department’s 2018 TIP report. They attended keynote speeches and panel discussions on corporate social responsibilities, major international trends and regional cooperation, as well as shared respective experiences and strategies.
 
 According to Chen, human trafficking is an internationally condemned practice that can only be halted through cross-border collaboration. As a champion of freedom, democracy and human rights, Taiwan is actively involved in related global efforts and initiatives, he said, adding that the country will continue taking a key role in tackling this pressing global issue.
 
 Recent examples in this regard, Chen said, include pledging US$500,000 in June to the Nadia’s Initiative, a nonprofit organization founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad in 2018, as well as signing cooperation agreements with other countries to fight cross-border crime.
 
 Quoting Pope Francis from the pontiff’s video message released in February, Chen said no one can turn a blind eye to human trafficking without being an accomplice to a crime against humanity. Taiwan will continue staging the workshop and implementing other initiatives to promote cooperation and eradicate this scourge, he added.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)