Taiwan ‘deeply unhappy’ after Interpol snubs request to attend general assembly meeting

The island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the lack of access to organisation’s information poses challenge to cross-border crime-fighting operations

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Taiwan says its lack of access to Interpol’s information poses a challenge to its international crime-fighting efforts. In April 75 Chinese telecom fraud suspects, including 45 from Taiwan, were detained in Kenya and then flown to Beijing. Photo: AP

Published: 12:00am, 6 Nov 2016Updated: 12:05am, 6 Nov 2016

Taiwan expressed its deep regret and discontent on Saturday after Interpol rejected its request to attend the police organisation’s general assembly meeting this week, Central News Agency reported.

The island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said having no access to the information of Interpol – or International Criminal Police Organisation – was posing a challenge to Taiwan’s crime-fighting operations, especially since cross-border crime is becoming a serious problem amid the trend of globalisation.

However, Taipei would continue to work closely with the United States and other like-minded countries to promote Taiwan’s participation in Interpol in the hope it could be included in the global network for public security protection, CNA quoted the ministry as saying.

Taiwan was forced to withdraw from Interpol in 1984 when mainland China joined the organisation.

For the first time in 32 years, Taipei applied to Interpol in October to participate as an observer at its 85th annual general assembly, which runs from Monday until Friday in Bali, Indonesia.

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