Paraguayan president-elect Santiago Pena yesterday said his country’s relationship with Taiwan needed to be even closer and he would reinforce that friendship, even as China ramps up diplomatic and military pressure on the nation.
Pena made the remarks upon arriving in Taiwan accompanied by his economic team.
Paraguay is the last South American country that has formal relations with Taiwan. Honduras in March ended decades of ties in favor of Beijing.
Photo: Yao Kai-shiou, Taipei Times
Pena last visited Taiwan 24 years ago as a student, and had returned to “reinforce the friendship” between Paraguay and Taiwan, which dates back almost seven decades, he told reporters at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where he was met by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).
“I want to spend the next five years bringing us together. We are close, but I think that in this moment we need to be closer, we need to be together,” he said.
Pena said he and his economic team would work to bring the two nations’ relations to a “place that we can only dream [about] at this moment.”
Photo: AFP / Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Pena had pledged during his election campaign to maintain relations with Taiwan, despite pressure from the local agricultural sector, which wants to open up lucrative Chinese markets to soybeans and beef.
During his visit, Pena is to meet President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Vice President William Lai (賴清德), who is the Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate in January’s presidential election.
Accompanying Pena on his trip are incoming Paraguayan minister of foreign affairs Ruben Ramirez Lezcano, presidential chief secretary Lea Gimenez Duarte, minister of finance Carlos Fernandez Valdovinos and minister of industry and commerce Francisco Javier Gimenez Garcia de Zuniga.
Pena is to take office on Aug. 15.
Diplomatic sources have said that Lai might attend as Taiwan’s representative, likely traveling via the US to meet US officials.
China’s efforts to win over Taiwan’s allies and expand its influence in countries in the US’ backyard, especially in Latin America, have caused alarm in Washington.
Taiwan has 13 formal diplomatic allies, mostly in Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Additional reporting by CNA
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