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Latin American Participants in 2017 National Development Superior Course Visit Control Yuan

  • PostDate:2017-05-11

Thirty high-ranking military officers from Central and South America visited the Control Yuan (CY) on the afternoon of May 3, 2017. The delegation, made up of participants in the 2017 National Development Superior Course, was accompanied by Colonel Tan Fang-Rong of the National Defense University in Taiwan. During their visit, they engaged in an informal discussion with CY President Chang Po-Ya, Vice President Sun Ta-chuan, and Deputy Secretary General Hsu Hai-chuan, exchanging ideas on issues related to government supervision systems and powers. Prior to the discussion, the visitors watched an introductory film about the CY and were then given a glimpse into the institution’s history with a guided tour of the display room, as well as the plenary meeting hall. They also had the opportunity to learn more about the procedures for receiving complaints with a visit to the Complaint Receipt Center. President Chang welcomed the visitors from afar and briefed them on the five-branch system of government under the ROC Constitution, the exercise of the CY’s power of investigation, cooperation between the CY and the National Audit Office on examining government expenditures, the Sunshine Act, and other government supervisory issues. She also mentioned that last year the CY handled more than 13,000 filed complaints, proposed corrective measures in 82 cases, and impeached a total of 69 individuals in 59 impeachment cases. Through the exercise of its powers and the handling of filed complaints, the CY effectively oversees government, protects human rights, and promotes good governance, serving as an important anti-corruption mechanism. President Chang also shared with the visitors some of the outcomes of the CY’s exercise of its authority as well as its engagement in international exchanges. For example, the CY takes part in the annual conference of the Iberoamerican Federation of Ombudsman (FIO) as an observer, and has signed cooperative agreements or memorandums of understanding with most Latin American countries’ ombudsman institutions with the aim of learning from one other and growing together. Members of the visiting delegation asked many questions during the discussion, including concerning the CY’s method of handling filed complaints involving military or police officials, such as related to bias, conflicts and false accusations, as well as the methods of resolution, types of sanctions, and so on. President Chang answered the questions in detail and with concrete examples. At the conclusion of the meeting, President Chang wished the delegates a pleasant stay in Taiwan and said she hoped to engage in more exchanges with them in the future. A number of the delegates stated that Taiwan’s successful experience in government administration is worth learning from and that their visit to the CY was very fruitful in this regard. At the end of the visit, the head of the delegation thanked the CY hosts for their warm hospitality.