Former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) has been detained for alleged corruption after reportedly receiving NT$5 million in bribes from a senior Formosa Plastics Group executive. His detention shocked the local political and business circles.
The corruption case reflects an illicit relationship between the government and political factions. Moreover, it exposes a grave problem of corruption that has long existed in Taiwan’s business culture. This has not only crushed public trust in our government and politics, but also tarnished a company’s public image and stunted its sustainable development potential.
Cheng’s detention is a wake-up call, with a pall of tension descending on the political and business worlds, and this is where anti-corruption measures must be brought to bear.
In addition to cleaning up politics, anti-corruption efforts should be extended to the business world to prevent the same illegal situation from recurring.
Cheng’s case has made it apparent that there is no corruption without corporate bribery. Officials involved in corruption suffer harsh penalties in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Act (貪汙治罪條例), which, no doubt, acts as a deterrent. On the other hand, the need for anti-corruption measures in business, including offering or accepting bribes, is not taken seriously enough.
This year, I participated in the biennial International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC), held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from June 18 to 21. This meeting was hosted by Transparency International, an international non-governmental organization. Because business integrity was a dominant issue, two forums were organized at the IACC based on the UN Global Compact.
There are 10 principles in the UN Global Compact, all of which are associated with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Among the principles, the 10th one is “businesses should fight against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.”
Promoting anti-corruption in business benefits sustainable development and connects with the UN’s policymaking. People of Chinese descent often emphasize social and interpersonal bonds, so the business culture shaped by this thinking becomes gradually entrenched, to the detriment of sustainable development.
Promoting the concept of environment, social and governance in Taiwanese businesses is now in full swing, but regrettably, business integrity has yet to be introduced.
In my opinion, this is not enough. I found that according to the UN Global Compact, business integrity should be included in business governance, which would in turn influence the environment and society.
Businesses have a responsibility to combat corruption, but the government is not an outsider in this. In response to the current social climate, good government policymaking drives away corruption in businesses.
Yang Yung-nane is a political science professor at National Cheng Kung University and a member of the board of directors of Transparency International Chinese Taipei.
Translated by Chen Chi-huang
The US election result will significantly impact its foreign policy with global implications. As tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait and conflicts elsewhere draw attention away from the western Pacific, Taiwan was closely monitoring the election, as many believe that whoever won would confront an increasingly assertive China, especially with speculation over a potential escalation in or around 2027. A second Donald Trump presidency naturally raises questions concerning the future of US policy toward China and Taiwan, with Trump displaying mixed signals as to his position on the cross-strait conflict. US foreign policy would also depend on Trump’s Cabinet and
The return of US president-elect Donald Trump to the White House has injected a new wave of anxiety across the Taiwan Strait. For Taiwan, an island whose very survival depends on the delicate and strategic support from the US, Trump’s election victory raises a cascade of questions and fears about what lies ahead. His approach to international relations — grounded in transactional and unpredictable policies — poses unique risks to Taiwan’s stability, economic prosperity and geopolitical standing. Trump’s first term left a complicated legacy in the region. On the one hand, his administration ramped up arms sales to Taiwan and sanctioned
The Taiwanese have proven to be resilient in the face of disasters and they have resisted continuing attempts to subordinate Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Nonetheless, the Taiwanese can and should do more to become even more resilient and to be better prepared for resistance should the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) try to annex Taiwan. President William Lai (賴清德) argues that the Taiwanese should determine their own fate. This position continues the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) tradition of opposing the CCP’s annexation of Taiwan. Lai challenges the CCP’s narrative by stating that Taiwan is not subordinate to the
Republican candidate and former US president Donald Trump is to be the 47th president of the US after beating his Democratic rival, US Vice President Kamala Harris, in the election on Tuesday. Trump’s thumping victory — winning 295 Electoral College votes against Harris’ 226 as of press time last night, along with the Republicans winning control of the US Senate and possibly the House of Representatives — is a remarkable political comeback from his 2020 defeat to US President Joe Biden, and means Trump has a strong political mandate to implement his agenda. What does Trump’s victory mean for Taiwan, Asia, deterrence
RSS