Taiwan Pushes to Join Interpol at IACP Conference
Taiwan's police leadership is using a major US law enforcement gathering to lobby for membership in Interpol, framing China's blocking of that bid as a global security risk, not just a Taiwan problem.
- Taiwan's deputy national police chief led a delegation to the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Orlando, meeting with US, Dutch, and Australian officials to swap intelligence and build partnerships.
- Taiwan cannot formally join Interpol or attend its meetings because China blocks it, which officials say slows down cross-border crime fighting and keeps global police from using Taiwan's intelligence and investigative skills.
- Despite the exclusion, Taiwan still cooperates directly with countries like the US on a case-by-case basis, including a recent joint operation where Taiwanese and US police busted a drug-smuggling ring moving meth hidden in ginseng powder, leading to 14 arrests.
- Officials warn that drug and fraud crime is becoming more organized and global, with criminals increasingly using AI and crypto, making single-country enforcement less effective.
Outlook: Taiwan will keep pressing for Interpol membership and leaning on bilateral deals with the US and others, but a breakthrough is unlikely while China continues to block it.