Curtis-led effort seeks to include Taiwan in Interpol

U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) earlier this month led a bipartisan group of more than 70 congressional members in calling for Taiwan to be included in the International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol.

“Taiwan deserves a seat at the table to work with the U.S. and other democratic partners to root out corruption and abuse in Interpol,” Rep. Curtis said on Nov. 18. “This administration needs to fulfill the intent laws passed by Congress, counter China’s influence, and make a strong push for Taiwan’s participation in Interpol ahead of the General Assembly meeting later this month.”

Rep. Curtis and his colleagues cited federal laws signed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump that aimed to include Taiwan in Interpol, according to their Nov. 9 letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Michael Hughes, director of Interpol in Washington at the U.S. National Central Bureau.

And they noted that the Taiwan Assurance Act, which was included in the fiscal year 2021 appropriations law, states that “it is the policy of the United States to advocate for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations… the International Criminal Police Organization, and other international bodies…”

This legislation “clearly demonstrates congressional intent to support strategies to gain meaningful Interpol participation, and ultimately membership, for Taiwan,” the lawmakers wrote. “Taiwan’s lack of participation leaves a void in global crime-fighting efforts.”

Specifically, Rep. Curtis and his colleagues pointed out that because Taiwan is not an Interpol member, the country is being denied access to Interpol’s I-24/7 global police communications systems, which provide real-time information on criminals and global criminal activities.

“Taiwan is forced to get second-hand information from friendly nations, including the United States, and is unable to effectively share information on criminals and suspicious activity with the international community,” they wrote.

Additionally, authoritarian influence at Interpol has led to abuse of the Interpol “Red Notice” system by dictatorships like Russia, Belarus, and China, according to their letter. 

Rep. Curtis and the lawmakers suggested that, as a starting point for securing full Interpol membership for Taiwan, that the United States work with Taiwan and other democratic friends and allies to support the creation of a “cooperation agreement” between Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau and Interpol. Such an agreement, they wrote, would allow the country “to observe, participate in, and access Interpol’s meetings and information systems.