Taiwan is committed to deepening cooperation with like-minded partners to safeguard freedom and democracy in the Indo-Pacific and beyond in the face of authoritarian expansionism, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Nov. 3.
An acceleration in democratic backsliding due to the pandemic and its aftermath has been observed, Wu said, citing disturbing cases of human rights abuses in places such as Hong Kong, Myanmar and The Gambia.
Wu made the remarks during the Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan organized by New York-based Human Rights Foundation. Other high-profile participants in the event included Celine Assaf Boustani, president of HRF, Fatou Jallow, The Gambia’s MeToo movement activist, and Oleksandra Matviichuk, president of Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties and winner of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.
According to Wu, authoritarian regimes are employing more diverse tools and techniques to undermine democratic systems and infringe on citizens’ rights. Any setback for democracy is a triumph for authoritarianism, he said, adding that democratic resilience needs to be strengthened.
As an important member of the international community, Taiwan stands ready to provide assistance to democratic friends in need, shown by the country’s solidarity with Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, Wu said. This included over 600 tons of supplies shipped to the Eastern European country and donations of at least US$45 million, with another US$500,000 going to Reporters Without Borders to support the Press Freedom Center in Ukraine used to counter disinformation and protect human rights, he added.
Founded in 2005, the HRF is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects global human rights, with a focus on closed societies. The foundation’s Oslo Freedom Forum is a global conference that brings together the world’s most engaging human rights advocates, journalists, artists, tech entrepreneurs and world leaders to share their stories and brainstorm ways to expand freedom and unleash human potential across the globe. (DL-E)
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