Taiwan - 87.14
21
A nation both held back and pushed forward by a petty grudge
Taiwan’s existence is perpetually defined by its relationship with China. Gaining de facto independence solely because of a Kuomintang retreat to the island after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War, Taiwan’s culture and politics have been defined since independence by opposition to and competition with China. Taiwan’s democracy, one of the strongest in Asia, developed because an authoritarian government wanted to garner international support. The country’s commitment to human rights stems from its attempts to differentiate itself from the brutal regime of the PRC. Despite efforts to build its military and develop strong relations with Western powers like the United States, Japan, and South Korea, Taiwan’s very existence is threatened on a daily basis. Taiwan’s development is hindered by its inability to participate in key international organizations ranging from the UN to the World Bank to the WHO. Taiwan and China regularly engage in brinksmanship over the Taiwan Strait or airspace over the island, and China has been threatened with military action from the United States if they were to ever invade Taiwan. Yet the mindset that causes China to continue laying claim to Taiwan and Taiwan to do the same is as uniquely Chinese as the stubbornness that led to the foundation of Taiwan by fleeing partisans after losing a civil war. Taiwan’s situation will likely never be resolved and China’s desire to exert control over the island may never be satisfied. The most likely course forward for Taiwan is to struggle and thrash in the confines of an ideological and diplomatic proxy war between China and its western rivals.
Human Rights - 91
Taiwan retains the death penalty (and is the highest scoring country to do so) and carried out its last execution in 2020. Trans Taiwanese cannot serve openly. Abortion is legal to preserve the physical, mental, and financial health of the woman and in cases of rape, incest, and fetal impairment. Spousal or parental authorization is required when applicable.
Democracy - 92
The president is directly elected and the premier is appointed by the president and approved by the legislature. The premier holds most executive power in Taiwan, though the president does retain certain duties. 73/113 Legislative Yuan seats are directly elected by single-member constituencies, 34 are chosen through proportional representation, and 6 are chosen by Indigenous voters. Elections are free and fair. The presidency and premiership have been held by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and largely-neutered Kuomintang (KMT) since the country’s transition to democracy. A number of smaller parties, as well as independent candidates, compete in legislative elections and win seats, but the Legislative Yuan is still dominated by the DPP and KMT. Chinese business interests have run propaganda campaigns in Taiwan in support of the KMT, in seemingly paradoxical support of the party that is descended from and bears the same name as the government and later partisan group that waged a campaign against the government they swear allegiance to. In recent years, however, the KMT has taken a more pro-China or at least pro-Chinese business stance and has been investigated several times for dealings with conglomerates on the mainland. At the end of the day, neither these propaganda campaigns nor the KMT’s dealings with Chinese business interests have affected Taiwanese elections.
Freedom - 81
Most media in Taiwan displays fairly strong party affiliation. Chinese business interests have run propaganda campaigns in Taiwan and continue to exert significant financial influence over Taiwanese media, as a significant portion of the Taiwanese media sector is reliant on advertising from Chinese business interests as they aggressively attempt to enter the Taiwanese market. Taiwan has vague laws punishing “distribution of misinformation” that have not been enforced since democratic reforms. Drug possession is punishable by death, but this law goes unenforced. Taiwan no longer issues gun ownership licenses, but previously issued ones are grandfathered in.
Economy - 100
Health - 100
Taiwan has a life expectancy of 81 years and an infant mortality rate of 0.36%. 22.1% of Taiwanese are obese and 4% are malnourished. Taiwan’s healthcare system is world-class, providing free care with record low wait times. 98% of Taiwanese have access to clean, running water.
Corruption - 82
The Taiwanese justice system is somewhat corrupt, with bribes sometimes exchanged for favorable rulings in civil suits. Appointments of judges are fraught with corruption. According to a survey by GAN Integrity, Taiwanese police are generally perceived to be very corrupt but there are few documented cases of corruption. Public contracts are virtually impossible to obtain without corruption.
Competency - 58
Taiwan is failing to shake the influence of China. Taiwan claims the entire territory of the PRC and Mongolia, in accordance with the territorial boundaries of the Republic of China pre-Chinese Civil War. Taiwan is largely unrecognized by the UN, only being recognized by thirteen countries, after the Solomon Islands recently rescinded its recognition in favor of the PRC. Taiwan received two ten-point penalties for being partially unrecognized and for large areas of its de jure territory being under the de facto control of a third party, respectively.
Future - 66
Taiwan’s future is somewhat uncertain, stemming from its precarious geopolitical position. By the standards of much of the world, China has the legal authority to annex Taiwan, and few countries would spring to Taiwan’s defense if it was invaded. Taiwan does, however, have the backing of three major military powers in the United States, Japan, and South Korea, forming a major deterrent for China acting. Despite this, China has become increasingly aggressive in its shows of force, performing more flyovers and sailing more battleships through the Strait of Taiwan.
Actions Abroad - 67
Taiwan is not a member of any major international organizations. Taiwan has an extensive campaign of buying UN recognition, with almost every country that recognizes Taiwan choosing to do so after receiving large amounts of foreign aid. On the flipside, Taiwan is a major contributor of foreign aid, including to countries that are otherwise ignored by the global community. Taiwan has taken a very hands-on role in the development of Palau.
0.7% of Taiwanese live under the international poverty line and 1.5% live under the national poverty line. 3.85% of Taiwanese are unemployed, and the country has a low economic disparity. Taiwan has a minimum wage of $852 per month. Taiwan’s universal healthcare system is world-renowned for having the lowest wait times in Asia and some of the lowest in the world. The Taiwanese economy shrunk 3.5% in 2020 and grew 5.4% in 2019.