Taiwan retained Tier 1 status for the ninth consecutive year in the 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report issued June 28 by the U.S. Department of State.
The country fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, the report said, with Taiwan continuing to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts in prosecuting offenders, protecting victims and raising awareness of the issue.
Of the 39 Tier 1 countries, Taiwan is one of six in the Asia-Pacific alongside Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines and South Korea. Hong Kong and China are listed as Tier 2 Watch List and Tier 3, respectively.
The report spotlights various Taiwan endeavors to strengthen enforcement and protections such as the Human Trafficking Prevention and Control Act, promulgated in 2006, and training programs for law enforcement. Taiwan recorded a sharp increase in trafficking prosecutions last year, leading to more convictions and better identification of victims, it added.
In response, the National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior welcomed Taiwan’s retention of Tier 1 status. The developments and recommendations outlined in the report will be important topics of discussion at the annual International Workshop on Strategies for Combating Human Trafficking set to take place next month in Taipei City, the agency said.
According to the NIA, this year’s event will be attended by officials and experts from Europe, Southeast Asia and the U.S. Discussions will span issues such as labor exploitation, migrant workers as well as policies to boost the protection of vulnerable populations.
As a responsible member of the global community, Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation and share experiences with international partners so as to bolster anti-trafficking initiatives and safeguard human rights at home and aboard, the NIA said. (KWS-E)
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