Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/01/29
By: Hsiao Bo-wen and Shih Hsiu-chuan 

Taipei, Jan. 29 (CNA) Taiwan dropped two spots in the latest global corruption index, down to 31st out of the 180 countries and territories rated by Transparency International in 2018, highlighting areas in which Taiwan needs to improve, the organization’s Taiwan chapter said Tuesday.

On a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean, Taiwan received 63 points this year, the same as last year, but still fell from 29th to 31st least corrupt country, surpassed by the Seychelles and Portugal.

According to Berlin-based Transparency International, which has conducted the annual ranking since 1995, the 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reveals that most countries are failing to significantly control corruption and that is contributing to a crisis in democracy around the world.

More than two thirds of countries scored below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of 43, Transparency International said in a statement.    [FULL  STORY]