Lawmakers urge ministries to sign more legal assistance agreementsSHORTCOMING: The nation has signed pacts with other nations that cover either criminal or civil matters, but the issues often overlap, DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu saidBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterLawmakers yesterday urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Justice to sign mutual legal assistance pacts with more nations, as Taiwan has signed such agreements with only six countries. It has also inked agreements on the transfer of sentenced criminals with Eswatini, Denmark, the UK and Germany, he said. Legal cooperation pacts should cover criminal and civil affairs, as many legal disputes span both areas, DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said, asking why the treaties only involved one of the areas. The government would strive to make its legal pacts with other countries encompass more areas, Vice Minister of Justice Chang Tou-hui (張斗輝) said. Asked by Wang why there is no legal assistance agreement with Japan, Liang said the Japanese government is considering certain matters about an agreement, while the government is working to negotiate with Tokyo over related issues.

Source: Taipei Times May 27, 2020 15:56 UTC