Since the lifting of martial law in mid-1987, Taiwanese have enjoyed an unprecedented degree of political freedom. Prisoners of conscience are a thing of the past, and ROC citizens can openly criticize their government and leaders. Rights that were previously curtailed are now exercised on a daily basis.

The frequency with which senior officials highlight the issue is evidence of the importance President Chen Shui-bian's government attaches to human rights. In his inaugural address last year, Chen described his vision of international human rights: "We firmly believe that at no time, nor in any corner of the world, can the meaning and value of freedom, democracy and human rights be ignored or changed."

In the same speech President Chen talked of the importance of bringing global human rights norms to Taiwan. He promised that Taiwan would abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention for Civil and Political Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action.

In a press conference on 31 July 2000, President Chen called for "a committed effort to make the Republic of China a new model of human rights in the 21st century".

In his address to the new advisory committee on human rights on 24 October 2000, the president described human rights as one of the measures of a modern country. On the same occasion, Vice President Annette Lu stressed the urgent nature of human rights.

In his 2001 New Year message, President Chen set the promotion of human rights norms as one of his administration's six major goals. Since then, the Ministry of Justice has drafted a "Basic Law On The Guarantees of Human Rights." The bill includes clauses devoted to the rights of women, children, labourers, the physically and mentally challenged, senior citizens and indigenous Taiwanese.

Humanitarian concerns play a central role in Taiwan's foreign policy. To assist in the promotion of human rights around the world, the appointment of a human rights ambassador-at-large is planned. Taiwan will also continue its long-term policy of extending humanitarian aid to countries which suffer natural disasters. Most recently, Taiwan gave aid to El Salvador after a series of devastating earthquakes there. Meanwhile, Taiwan-based NGOs, among them the world-acclaimed Tsu Chi Buddhist organization, are engaged in relief and development projects throughout the world.

At home, in order to protect Taiwanese society against any possible future deterioration in its human rights environment, human rights instruction is being introduced into the nine-year compulsory education system.

For more official announcements about Republic of China on Taiwan, please click here.