OPINION:
In today’s globalized world, crime knows no borders. Evolving forms of human trafficking, cyberfraud and terrorism have generated unprecedented threats, necessitating international cooperation. For many countries today, membership in Interpol has greatly reduced the severity of these threats.
Not so for Taiwan, however.
The International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol, is the world’s largest law enforcement organization, with 195 member countries. Interpol collects crime data in a massive database that member countries can contribute to and draw from as its investigations require. Yet Taiwan has been barred from meaningful participation in the organization for decades — a direct result of China’s malign influence in the international system.
When the People’s Republic of China joined Interpol in 1984, the organization began adhering to Beijing’s false claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, despite the fact that China has never ruled Taiwan, not even for a single day. Ever since even observer status at Interpol has been denied to Taiwan, denying Interpol Taiwan’s significant criminal intelligence resources and making the job of protecting our citizens much harder than it should be.
Taiwan faces China’s oppression in all areas of the international arena. Beijing routinely misrepresents U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 to prevent Taiwan from participating in U.N. organizations and limit our international space. Although the resolution determines only who represents “China,” the People’s Republic falsely presents it as validation of its territorial claims. Similar lies are repeated to justify Taiwan’s exclusion from Interpol.
This isolation has real consequences. Simply put, Taiwan’s exclusion creates an opening in the global security network that criminals can exploit. When an Interpol member needs to identify and locate a criminal who has ventured abroad — be it a money launderer or a terrorist — it can access records tracking much of the criminal’s activity in real time.
But because Taiwan has been barred from Interpol, we are forced to cooperate with friendly nations case by case, slowing down the process and giving the perpetrator more time to escape. These operations, divorced from Interpol’s databases, are often based on outdated intelligence, further impeding joint efforts to apprehend criminals.
Despite these unfortunate international circumstances, Taiwan has resolved to cooperate with like-minded nations in the fight against transnational crime. Last year, Taiwan’s law enforcement exposed a human trafficking operation in Southeast Asia in which people from around the globe were promised overseas jobs, only to be forced into slave labor and crime.
When Interpol refused Taiwan’s inquiries, we turned to like-minded countries in the region to help crack down on these perverse crime rings. Since July 2022, Taiwanese law enforcement has rescued 478 victims of human trafficking and resolved nearly 200 human trafficking investigations.
Such operations have earned Taiwan international recognition even as Taiwan continues to be excluded from Interpol. For the 14th year in a row, Taiwan was granted Tier 1 status in the U.S. State Department’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report.
But nothing can substitute direct cooperation with Interpol. There is a pressing need to end Taiwan’s isolation from Interpol so that police forces around the globe can more effectively combat transnational crime.
Cooperation between Interpol and Taiwan will not only enable Taiwan to better protect our citizens but also provide Interpol with crucial resources from Taiwanese law enforcement. Interpol will find much of value in our police forces’ experiences and expertise, which we are ready and willing to share.
We are grateful to partners like the United States that have consistently called for Taiwan’s inclusion on the world stage, including our friends at the American Legislative Exchange Council and the World Conference of Mayors.
Fifty-three resolutions were passed this year across 34 states in support of Taiwan, with 14 explicitly calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in Interpol. In July, the House of Representatives passed the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, countering China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan and exclude us from international organizations such as Interpol.
Taiwan remains Interpol’s missing link, pointlessly jeopardizing global security. Granting Taiwan observer status in Interpol will not only enable us to better protect our citizens but also provide Interpol with crucial resources from Taiwan’s world-class police forces.
Taiwan prides itself as a trusted partner to like-minded countries in tracking down criminals and keeping our communities safe. Taiwan needs access to Interpol’s global resources — but the world also needs us.
• Robin Cheng is the Taiwanese government’s deputy representative to the United States.
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