Taiwan hosts Asian Election Authorities meeting

Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that democratic countries should share experiences and information in the face of authoritarian regimes trying to "destroy" democracy and freedom of speech, at a gathering of election authorities from across Asia on Wednesday in Taipei.

Taiwan is hosting the 2024 General Assembly of the Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) this week, an event jointly sponsored by the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.

"Democracy needs to be fought for and maintained after it has been achieved," Cho said at the assembly's opening ceremony on Wednesday.

"Fighting to become a democracy is hard, and it is no less difficult to maintain one, as there are always forces that try to erode democratic nations," he added.

It is "important" to discuss not only the process of elections but also how to protect the culture of democracy and the legitimacy of elections as an institution, Cho stressed.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) also attended the opening ceremony.

Han, who doubles as the chairman of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, said Taiwan is "one of the most democratic countries in the world" whose democratic transition has been called "a political miracle."

"We have the obligation to share our experiences and promote the development of democracy and human rights as a member of the international community," he added.

This year's general assembly of the 20-member-state association is taking place from Wednesday to Thursday, with the seminar next day focusing on the theme of upholding election fairness and preventing misinformation and disinformation during elections.

The AAEA was established in 1998. This year is the third time Taiwan has been elected to chair the triennial gathering, after hosting the meeting in 2005 and 2008.

This year's event saw the attendance of delegations from India, the Philippines, South Korea, Mongolia, the Maldives and Indonesia, with Bangladesh and Nepal participating virtually, according to the CEC.