New taipei: President Lai Ching-te said Monday that the newly launched National Archives will offer the public a deeper, unifying understanding of the endeavors of Taiwan's democracy pioneers. "The opening of the National Archives demonstrates not only the government's determination to protect national records and preserve collective memory, but also our firm commitment to the openness of political archives -- an important milestone in transitional justice," Lai said at the launch ceremony of the National Archives in New Taipei's Linkou District.
According to Focus Taiwan, the National Archives is responsible for collecting and preserving important records from all levels of government, valuable documents from private groups and Taiwan-related records held overseas. Government agencies at all levels must now transfer their archives, and no agencies may conceal or refuse to turn over requested documents if required by law, he said.
When managing its collections, the National Archives should follow the principle of "maximum openness and minimal restriction," thereby facilitating efforts to scrutinize government actions and achieve transparency, Lai said. Lai encouraged the National Archives to collaborate with schools, civic groups and local cultural institutions to cultivate evidence-based reasoning skills and deepen understanding of Taiwan's development in politics, the economy, industry, and literature, he said.
He noted that starting from Sept. 10, the number of days since the lifting of martial law has officially surpassed the number of days Taiwan was under martial law. Lai expressed his gratitude to the National Archives for displaying original archival documents such as the order lifting martial law, the amendment to Article 100 of the Criminal Code and other landmark documents that were crucial to Taiwan's democratization.
"I invite the people of Taiwan to visit the National Archives and witness how Taiwan emerged from the shadows of authoritarianism and moved toward the light of democracy, step by step," he said.