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2017 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

13. Republic of China’s (Taiwan) Control Yuan As a Participant in Anti-corruption and Integrity-building Initiatives

Author : Olga Y. Adams

Published in: Towards A Common Future

Publisher: Springer Singapore

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Abstract

With the latest global crisis unfolding in 2008 with the revelations of financial and ethical wrongdoings, academic and practical discourse surrounding the corruption phenomenon and integrity-building policies have been taken to new heights. The backdrop is actively redefined state-society relations: modern demands upon the institutions include responsiveness and accountability. Country-specific experience when dealing with governance issues might provide valuable insights. Taiwan possesses vast experience with integrity-building and anti-corruption policies despite its challenging political history. The unique five-branch government system has proved instrumental. The Control Yuan (CY) is a constitutionally defined supervisory branch and the institutional embodiment of a centuries-old respected tradition of incorruptible censorate. It provides a channel for citizens’ grievances and non-judicial ‘triage’ in cases of suspected malfeasance. Corruption is a media impactful phenomenon and a wrongfully implicated party may deal with the negative fallout for years; hence, due process and independence of partisan divisions are of paramount importance.

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Called “written constitution” because all powers of the government are specified in great detail in the constitutional document” (Sun Yatsen: His Political and Social Ideals: A Source Book (compiled, translated and annotated by Leonard Shihlien Hsu). University of Southern California Press, 1933. – P. 92.

The tradition in a slightly modified version is also alive and well in mainland China in the form of ‘working groups’ (工作小组) dispatched by government institutions to locations around the country in order to familiarize the central organs with the local situation and to suggest ways to rectify the issues. ‘Inspection tours’ by the highest Party and government functionaries are also conducted on a regular basis, but these are more public relations in nature.

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The recent case of former French President Mr Sarkozy is the case in point. His lawyers counter the charges of influence-peddling and illegal campaign donations by accusing the incumbent administration of political bias and orchestrating the case while using improper means to obtain evidence (such as wiretapping).

KMT candidate Sean Lien accused his independent rival Ko Wen-Je of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. In response, Doctor Ko made public all his personal financial information and challenged his rival to do the same. Mr Lien has not reciprocated, responding that he would provide all the information according to law if the Control Yuan initiates an investigation, thus appealing to the supervisory organ’s role as independent arbiter.

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Note that both public and private sector organizations are within the scope of Control Yuan’s authority, which is instrumental in investigating business corruption. The recent example of Walmart Corporation under investigation for alleged bribery in Mexico showcases its challenges: it took the plaintiffs’ lawyers two years and a Supreme Court of State of Delaware decision to obtain internal documents related to executives’ knowledge about alleged bribes tied to real-estate deals in Mexico. Even after the decision the company’s spokesperson stressed ‘it was a procedural decision… about whether plaintiffs had the right to inspect certain internal documents’ //http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-24/wal-mart-told-by-court-to-turn-over-bribery-probe-files.html. Accessed on 24.07.14.

Those institutions engage in mediation in case of disputes over tenants’ rights, etc. The commissions can impose mediated decisions. http://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1209&context=mscas. Accessed on 22.07.14.

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There are actually two different terms both translated as ‘reputation’: 聲譽卓著者 refers to a ‘reputable’ person in a wider sense of the word and 成績優異者 has a more nuanced meaning ‘with exceptional accomplishments’ referring to persons in subparagraphs 2 and 3. In both cases ‘reputation’ implies upright moral standing and is key requirement for prospective members.

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Notable developments include ‘A Handbook on Control Yuan: Is Your Concern In the Scope of Its Responsibility?’ published on Control Yuan’s website. It explains in plain language the history, composition and responsibilities of the institution, provides a checklist for potential petitioners and step-by-step directions for filing a complaint. In its foreword authors express hope that Control Yuan becomes truly the ‘People’s Power Yuan’.

While the Committee is referred to as Anti-Corruption in all Control Yuan document translations, in the author’s opinion the more accurate translation would be the Committee on Clean Governance which would more accurately describe its mandate of which the work of a preventive nature is an important integral part.

Committee on Statutory Studies; Committee on Consultation; Committee on Discipline for Control Yuan Members; Committee on Anti-Corruption; Committee on Human Rights Protection.

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There is also a specialized Department of Asset Declaration by Public Functionaries in Control Yuan.

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Title: Republic of China’s (Taiwan) Control Yuan As a Participant in Anti-corruption and Integrity-building Initiatives
Author: Olga Y. Adams
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Book: Towards A Common Future
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-5591-1

Electronic ISBN: 978-981-10-5592-8

Copyright Year: 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5592-8_13