President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday welcomed Paraguayan Senate President Basilio Gustavo Nunez Gimenez, who is visiting to bolster bilateral relations and deepen cooperation with Taiwan.
Nunez, who arrived with a delegation on Monday on a five-day visit, described Paraguay as “not only a friend, but also a partner,” and said his first trip to Taiwan after becoming Senate president in July was to reaffirm the South American nation’s commitment to bilateral ties.
Taiwan and Paraguay established formal relations in 1957. Paraguay is one of the 12 countries that diplomatically recognize Taiwan and Taiwan’s only ally in South America.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Web site
At the meeting with Lai at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Nunez said Paraguay hoped to continue collaborating with Taiwan to bring prosperity to people from both countries and that the South American nation supports the right of countries to exercise freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait.
Paraguay also opposes any escalation of hostilities in the region, he said, while underscoring the importance of respecting the sovereignty of nations and upholding human rights.
Lai thanked Paraguayan President Santiago Pena and his government for supporting Taiwan’s bid to participate in the international community, most recently during the general debate of the UN General Assembly in late September.
Taiwan and Paraguay have achieved positive results from cooperation in areas such as education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and women’s empowerment, Lai said, adding that his government looked forward to continuing working with Paraguay on mutually beneficial initiatives.
Also joining Nunez at the meeting were Paraguayan senators Derlis Hernan Maidana Zarza, Patrick Paul Kemper Thiede and Sergio Roberto Rojas Sosa, the Presidential Office said.
Separately, Taiwan and Paraguay have re- signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to strengthen tourism cooperation, the Tourism Administration said in a statement issued yesterday.
The LOI was inked in Taipei on Monday by Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) and his Paraguayan counterpart H.E. Angie Duarte de Mellilo, marking the first reconnection between the two sides on tourism matters since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Taiwan tourism agency.
Building on the framework set by the original LOI signed in 2018, Taiwan and Paraguay renewed the agreement, focusing on advancing digital, sustainable, and inclusive development in the tourism industry, the agency added.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Paraguay’s Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan), Carlos Fleitas.
Monday’s meeting was part of the itinerary for Duarte’s first trip to Taiwan. Her six-day visit, which began on Oct. 31, ended Tuesday.
During her time in Taiwan, she led a delegation of tourism officials to attend the 2024 Taipei International Travel Fair and visited the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area and National Taichung Theater, among other attractions.
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