Premier Chen Chien-jen addresses participants at the International Workshop on Strategies for Combating Human Trafficking Sept. 6 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Executive Yuan)
 

The International Workshop on Strategies for Combating Human Trafficking kicked off Sept. 6 in Taipei City, reflecting the government’s commitment to cooperating with Taiwan’s partners around the world to build a resilient crime-fighting network and provide better human rights protection for all.

Organized by the Ministry of the Interior, the two-day event is being attended by around 300 experts, officials and civil organization representatives from home and abroad, and members of the diplomatic corps stationed in Taiwan. Those in attendance at the event’s opening included Premier Chen Chien-jen, Ambassador Oscar Adolfo Padilla Lam of Guatemala and Norman Tansingco, commissioner of the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration.

During his opening remarks, Chen said that the COVID-19 pandemic may have reduced international travel, but it did not slow organized crime. Employment scammers continued to prey on people by trafficking victims to overseas locations and forcing them to commit cyber fraud, and other criminals did not stop stealing personal information and kidnapping people to use their bank accounts for money laundering, he added.

According to Chen, the government has proposed many initiatives and regulatory amendments to coordinate public and private sector efforts to combat crime. A dedicated agency to offer better personal information protection is also in the pipeline.

But the premier stressed that it also takes cross-border cooperation to stop organized crimes such as human trafficking. He expects the workshop, now in its 15th year, to serve as a key platform in the Asia-Pacific region to share experiences and promote collaboration toward this end. (SFC-E)