U.S. House Democracy Partnership Delegation Visits CCW to Discuss Building "Parliamentary Resilience" and Strengthening U.S.-Taiwan Democratic Cooperation

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – On April 10, a delegation from the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) office of the U.S. House of Representatives paid a special visit to Citizen Congress Watch (CCW). The two parties engaged in-depth dialogue focusing on structural reforms of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan of parliamentary cybersecurity defense, and the promotion of international democratic networks. This meeting not only demonstrated the U.S. side’s high regard for the monitoring power of Taiwan's civil society but further deepened CCW’s long-standing mission to connect with global democratic partners and share "Taiwan’s experience in parliamentary monitoring."

During the meeting, Professor Kun-Lu Wu, Convenor of International Affairs Committee (CCW), and Mr. Shun-Chi Kan, Committee member of International Affairs Committee (CCW), introduced the "Legislator Evaluation" system, which has been conducted without interruption since 2007. Professor Wu noted, "Through objective quantitative and qualitative data, we have successfully encouraged legislators to shift from 'part-time, passive participation' to 'professional, full-time governance' that advocates for public interest legislation."

In response, Ms. Leslie Reagan, Deputy Director of the HDP office, and Ms. Abby Goins, Legislative Director for Representative Adrian Smith, expressed high recognition for these efforts. Sharing the U.S. Congressional experience, they have pointed, "In fact, promoting practical exchanges between MP to MP or staff-to-staff are the best way to eliminate partisan differences and transcend political stances for the benefit of the people."

Deep Observation of U.S.-Taiwan Legislatures: Addressing Security Blind Spots Through Technical Dialogue

The two sides conducted a profound discourse regarding 'parliamentary cybersecurity defense.' It was mutually agreed that fostering 'technical dialogue' serves to lower the threshold for exchange, and solidify the foundation of bilateral cooperation.

Professor Tung-Ru J. Shieh, President of CCW, echoed the U.S. perspective, pointing out that "The lack of transparency in the hiring of parliamentary assistants could become a loophole for infiltration by external forces." Mr. Shun-Chi Kan, Committee member of International Affairs Committee (CCW) added that "The original intent of civil society evaluations is to provide oversight with a stronger mandate from public opinion." He expressed regret that some political parties still harbor misunderstandings and frequently obstruct national security legislation, thereby weakening departmental operations: "We are deeply saddened by these observations."

Deepening Long-term International Networks; CCW Advocates for Asian Parliamentary Openness Indicators

CCW’s international footprint already spans the Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Mr. Shun-Chi Kan, Committee member of International Affairs Committee (CCW) shared the experience of long-term cooperation with the Asian Alliance for Parliamentary Openness (AAPO), which involves over 12 countries. It expects to release the "Asian Parliament Openness Index (APOI)"—a civil society initiative—between August and September this year. This index will provide cross-border objective data as a reference for countries adopting transparency measures, further strengthening the link between Taiwan and the global democratic front.

President Tung-Ru J. Shieh concluded: "We look forward to continuing practical exchanges with the HDP to ensure that the monitoring energy accumulated by Taiwan’s civil society over the years is recognized by the world, and to share the 'Taiwan Experience' for the transparency and modernization of parliaments globally."

Photo (1): U.S. House Democracy Partnership (HDP) Delegation Visits Citizen Congress Watch (CCW) (From left to right):

• Ms. Caitlin Campbell – Analyst in Asian Affairs, Congressional Research Service
• Ms. Abby Goins – Legislative Director, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE)
• Ms. Mary Hopkins – Fellow, House Democracy Partnership
• Mr. Benjamin Moody – Operations Manager, House Democracy Partnership
• Ms. Leslie Reagan – Deputy Director, House Democracy Partnership
• Mr. Tung-Ru J. Shieh – President, Citizen Congress Watch, CCW
• Mr. Chien-Yuan Tseng – Managing Supervisor, Citizen Congress Watch, CCW
• Mr. Kun-Lu Wu – Convenor, International Affairs Committee, CCW
• Mr. Shun-Chi Kan – International Affairs Committee Member, CCW
• Mr. Hung-Lin Chang – CEO, Citizen Congress Watch, CCW