Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

A visiting US official responsible for religious freedom yesterday urged the Chinese government to release jailed Taiwanese democracy activist Lee Ming-che (李明哲), who is serving a five-year prison term in China on charges of subversion of state power.

US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, who is visiting Taiwan for a regional religious freedom forum, the first of its kind, made the call during a news briefing in Taipei after a meeting with Lee’s wife, Lee Ching-yu (李凈瑜).

Taiwan’s democratization has often been touted as a model for other countries. While the compliment is uplifting and fitting recognition of the blood, sweat and tears shed by local democracy pioneers, there is more that Taiwan should and could do than being a mere example. Rather than passively standing tall for others to look up to as a model of democracy, Taiwan should take the initiative and offer a helping hand to those who still struggle for freedom and face grave human rights violations, particularly at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.