TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Thor Halvorssen, founder and CEO of the U.S.-based Human Rights Foundation, arrived in Taiwan and was met by a delegation of government officials on Tuesday (Oct. 16), which included Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) and legislators Freddy Lim (林昶佐), Fan Yun (范雲), and Lai Hsiang-lin (賴香伶).
In a speech delivered at the Legislative Yuan, Halvrossen said that in recent years, the Chinese government has made it clear that its ambition is to spread authoritarianism through a "global empire." For this reason, he called upon friends of democracy around the world to unite and work for democracy, freedom, peace, and stability, per Liberty Times.
You welcomed Halvorssen and other human rights activists arriving in Taiwan for the Oslo Freedom Forum, which is scheduled for Wednesday (Oct. 18). Yu said that many were brave in their fight against authoritarianism despite suffering from political persecution.
In recent years, You said the landscape for democracy around the world has gradually shrunk, and more and more innocent people have been persecuted. Yu added that one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council has even launched an unprovoked war, and yet another has repeatedly violated human rights with the intention of extending their influence to surrounding areas.
You noted that China’s release of the "2023 Standard Map" at the end of August, which included areas such as Taiwan, the islands in the South China Sea, and disputed areas between China and India, expresses its expansionist aspirations.
Looking back on Taiwan's democracy, You said that Taiwan has experienced colonial rule and 38 years of martial law and has laid the foundation to become the first modern democratic country in the Chinese-speaking world. Although Taiwan is not yet a member of the United Nations, it has actively fought to stop the expansion of authoritarianism.
You also noted that relevant ministries and commissions are also studying the domestic adoption of international conventions regarding the rights of missing persons, the prohibition of torture, and the protection of migrant workers, so as to align with international human rights standards.
The Oslo Freedom Forum will be held once again in Taipei on Wednesday (Oct. 18). A visiting delegation of international human rights activists will attend and give presentations, including Tibetan dissident Chemi Lhamo, Venezuelan non-violent social activist Gustavo Tovar-Arroyo, Kenyan labor rights activist Malcolm Bidali, and others.
