Silvia Mercado – Coordinator of the Liberal Network for Latin America and the Investigation Seminar of China in Latin America

While the world’s attention will be on the U.S. election results, the first week of November will also be significant in Glasgow (United Kingdom), where police leaders from around the globe will meet at the 92nd General Assembly of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). Here, several critical decisions will be made that will impact international cooperation systems, including the potential acceptance of Taiwan as an observer—a country with proven credentials in global security matters that remains excluded from this system.

The concerning issue is that Taiwan’s exclusion from INTERPOL represents a considerable loss for global security. Taiwan efficiently operates its own police, judicial, financial, commercial, aviation, maritime transportation, and border control systems. After gaining experience in combating transnational crimes such as telecommunications fraud, drug trafficking, cyberattacks, organized crime, and terrorism, Taiwan’s authorities are well-equipped to uphold the law. Its officers are professionally trained and recognized for their achievements in crime-fighting. It is no surprise that, according to the Numbeo security index, Taiwan is the fourth safest country in the world, with the fourth lowest crime rate among 146 countries.

It is clear that an international security network without Taiwan is incomplete, just as it is evident that the Chinese Communist Party has blocked Taiwan’s membership in INTERPOL since 1984. Given the gravity of the matter, it is necessary to temporarily set aside political agendas and prioritize the fight against transnational crime. If the global goal is to combat organized crime, no country committed to its citizens’ security should be left out. Taiwan’s exclusion from INTERPOL hinders the island’s law enforcement agencies by denying them access to vital real-time intelligence that could enhance their crime-fighting efforts at both national and transnational levels. Without observer status in this system, Taiwan must rely on indirect information that often arrives too late.

In recent years, transnational crime has evolved notably, driven by the accelerated development of information and communication technology. Criminal activities have become increasingly cross-border, organized, and anonymous, with financial transactions occurring online. This situation exposes countries and individuals to greater risk. To address this phenomenon, it is essential for nations to collaborate, support each other, and share information—principles that align perfectly with the INTERPOL Statute.

Granting Taiwan observer status would be a significant success for the entire international community, not only because it upholds principles of fairness and justice but also because it would greatly improve global security cooperation. Additionally, it would leverage the informative potential that Taiwan can offer, which is fully willing today to strengthen international ties and share specialized knowledge to promote safety, reduce harm to lives and property, and work with the international community to combat transnational crime.

Will INTERPOL make the right decision? Let’s hope so; let’s hope it does not follow in the footsteps of the World Health Organization (WHO), which, by blocking Taiwan’s entry during the COVID-19 pandemic, incurred a high cost in human lives.