Thirty-three high-ranking military officers from Central and South America, accompanied by Col. Tan Fang-Rong of the National Defense University (NDU), visited the Control Yuan on the afternoon of May 8, 2018. During their visit, they engaged in an informal discussion with CY President Chang Po-Ya, Secretary-General Fu Meng-Jung, and Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Hai-Chuan, exchanging views on issues related to the powers and functions of the CY under the five power system. The officers are in Taiwan taking part in a training program offered by the National Defense University.
President Chang first welcomed the visitors from afar and briefed them on the CY’s responsibilities and performance. She mentioned that the CY receives about 1,500 complaints every month, and that through the handling of filed complaints and the exercise of its powers, the CY effectively oversees government and promotes good governance. In addition, she noted that last year, the CY impeached a total of 32 individuals found guilty of violations of the law or neglect of duty, including seven judicial and military officers.
President Chang also introduced the various aspects of the Sunshine Acts, such as related to asset-declaration by public functionaries and political donations by political parties and candidates. The CY is responsible for enforcing the Acts in its role of preventing corruption and promoting open and transparent government.
In addition, President Chang pointed out that via the network of the Iberoamerican Federation of Ombudsman (FIO), the CY has signed cooperative agreements or memorandums of understanding with seven Latin American countries’ ombudsman institutions and has maintained friendly relations with Defensor del Pueblo and Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos and such.
Prior to the discussion, the visitors learned more about the procedures for receiving complaints with a visit to the Complaint Receipt Center. Through a guided tour of the display room and the plenary meeting hall, they were given a glimpse into the long history of the supervision system and the beauty of the architecture as well as learned basic facts about the CY. During the tour, the visitors participated actively by asking a wide range of questions, such as concerning the qualifications for becoming a CY member and the appointment process.
Following the discussion, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Alirio García Flamenco Sevilla of the Republic of El Salvador thanked President Chang on behalf of the delegation for hosting them. He also praised the design of the ROC Consititution for its contribution to democracy and stressed that the “Taiwan Miracle” is the result of years of hard work by the people and government.
At the end of the visit, President Chang wished the delegates a pleasant stay in Taiwan and expressed the hope of engaging in more exchanges with them in the future.