OT-2123
May 26, 2021
AIT Director W. Brent Christensen’s Remarks at GCTF on Anti-Money Laundering
May 26, 2021
Greetings! As Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, and on behalf of the United States government, I ’d like to welcome you to the 2021 Global Cooperation and Training Framework workshop (GCTF ) on anti-money laundering. We are pleased to be hosting today’s workshop alongside our partners: Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, and the Australian Office. Since 2018, our annual GCTF series has included a law enforcement-themed workshop. Our workshop today features seasoned law enforcement practitioners and anti-money laundering experts from Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and the United States – all of whom are ready to share best practices on combatting money laundering activities.
When criminals or corrupt public officials launder money to make illicitly obtained funds appear legitimate, they taint and erode public trust in the integrity of the financial system. Modern day developments, such as cryptocurrencies, only make these money laundering activities more complex, requiring more sophisticated law enforcement techniques and coordinated global efforts to tackle these crimes. Today’s workshop will enable us to do just that.
Taiwan is well-positioned to host this workshop: Not only does Taiwan have strong law enforcement and legal mechanisms to crack down on money laundering, its public and civil servants are also lawfully bound to strict financial disclosure requirements to preserve the integrity of the institutions which they serve. Taiwan’s efforts to fight money laundering have been recognized internationally, including by the Asia/Pacific Group (APG) organization which is focused on anti-money laundering. Taiwan’s willingness to share its expertise on anti-money laundering with friends abroad is yet another example of its many efforts to help tackle global challenges.
In closing, I can assure you we will all benefit from today’s workshop and be able to take the anti-money laundering tools we learn back to our home jurisdictions. Furthermore, by participating in today’s workshop, you all also become GCTF alumni, and part of a network of over a thousand professionals of various backgrounds spanning countries in every major continent across the globe.
Congratulations to each of you on becoming a part of this valuable network, and for your current and future contributions to the global community.
Thank you.
This Official Text is also available on the AIT website at https://www.ait.org.tw/category/speeches/.
