United States Department of State

Taiwan: Human Rights United States Department of State

Taiwan is governed by a president and a parliament selected in multi-party elections. In 2012 voters re-elected President Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang Party (KMT) to a second four-year term in an election considered free and fair. Authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. Security forces did not commit human rights abuses. Principal human rights problems reported during the year were labor exploitation of migrant workers by fishing companies, exploitation of domestic workers by brokerage agencies, and official corruption. As of May authorities indicted 573 officials, including 39 high-ranking officials, on corruption charges during the year. There were no reports of impunity.