Taiwan was ranked 29th least corrupt out of 180 countries and territories in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index released Feb. 21 by Berlin-based Transparency International.
 
From of a score of 100, indicating the lowest level of perceived corruption, Taiwan received 63, up two points from the previous edition. This marked the nation’s best performance in the past five years.
 
Tied with Portugal and Qatar on the list, Taiwan ranked ahead of South Korea, 51st; and mainland China, 77th; and behind Hong Kong, 13th; and Japan, 20th. New Zealand topped the rankings following by Denmark in second and Finland, Norway and Switzerland tied in third.
 
According to the Agency Against Corruption under the Ministry of Justice, Taiwan’s improvement highlights the effectiveness of government efforts over the past year in promoting clean governance and judicial reform.
 
Noting that TI’s research methodology draws on relevant data from various international institutions, the AAC said that Taiwan’s performance reflects strong showings in a variety of recent international assessments and rankings, such as an analysis compiled by Varieties of Democracy Institute. Taiwan’s score increased six points to 56 in the Sweden-based organization’s 2017 survey of political corruption in 177 countries and territories.
 
The government will continue to enhance public administration transparency in line with the spirit of the U.N. Convention against Corruption through such measures as promoting passage of legislation on whistleblower protection, the AAC said. Taiwan is also working to foster international awareness of its achievements in tackling corruption by deepening participation in various international activities and conferences, the agency added.
 
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index has been published annually since 1995. This year’s edition aggregated 13 different data sources released over the past two years by 12 international institutions. (CPY-E)