VISITING:
Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen said that he hoped to explore the option of setting up an office in Taiwan to work with local civic groups
By Yang Yao-ju / Staff reporter, with CNA
Taiwan’s fate is the fate of democracies around the world, Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen said yesterday during a meeting with Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃).
Halvorssen is leading a delegation of foundation members to participate in the Oslo Freedom Forum, which is to take place in Taipei tomorrow.
Taiwan is an independent democratic republic and a “beacon of hope” for the world, as it transformed from a country under the control of a dictatorial regime to one of the most successful democracies in the world in just a short period, Halvorssen said.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Taiwan is proof that ethnic Chinese are able to live in a free environment, he said.
The world can learn so much from Taiwan, so it is regrettable that China tries to block its contributions using every means possible, such as by controlling the media and imposing economic sanctions, Halvorssen said.
Authoritarian regimes, whether it be the Chinese Communist Party or those on the Korean Peninsula or in Latin America, perceive freedom as a threat to themselves, so they aim to eliminate it, he said.
Halvorssen said that he hoped to deepen ties with Taiwan during the trip and explore the possibility of setting up an office in the nation to cooperate with Taiwanese civic groups.
You called for unity among democracies the world over to curb the expansion of authoritarianism and safeguard democracy, freedom, peace and stability for future generations.
Beijing’s ambition to expand its territory was evident in its “standard map” released in August, which marks Taiwan, the South China Sea islands and disputed areas between China and India as its territory, You said.
You lamented the world’s gradually shrinking democratic landscape, saying that of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, one has launched a war and another has violated human rights.
Taiwan has experienced colonial rule and 38 years of martial law, he said, adding that Taiwan’s fight against authoritarianism laid the foundation for it to become the first modern democratic country in the Chinese-speaking world.
Although Taiwan is not yet a member of the UN, it has been countering the expansion of authoritarianism through legislation, You said.
The Legislative Yuan has passed six of the nine UN core international human rights instruments, as well as an amendment to the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法) in May to bar those who violate internationally recognized human rights from entering Taiwan, he said.
Agencies are working on legalization related to issues such as the prohibition of torture and the protection of migrant workers to meet international human rights standards, he added.
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