Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Tuesday announced that he is to visit Taiwan this weekend, amid tensions between Taipei and Beijing that have tested the loyalties of Latin American nations.
Giammattei’s announcement came just two weeks after he hosted President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) for an official visit, during which she promised continued assistance for “democratic partners.”
Tsai then traveled to neighbor Belize — the only other Central American country to retain official diplomatic ties with Taiwan since Honduras last month shifted its allegiance to China.
Photo: AFP / the Guatemalan Presidency
On her return home from Belize, Tsai stopped over in California and met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, irking China.
Beijing then staged war games around Taiwan.
Giammattei, who reaffirmed Guatemala’s “recognition of the sovereignty” of Taiwan, said the partner countries would sign an agreement to boost exports of Guatemalan coffee, sugar and other products.
Taiwan would also assist Guatemala with a fund for natural disasters and provide US$1.5 million for the air-conditioning system at the airport in Guatemala City, he said.
Taiwan had said that before Honduras cut ties, it had asked for money, but Taipei would “not engage in a meaningless cash diplomacy contest with China.”
Giammattei said he would start a two-day visit to Taiwan on Saturday.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that the government of Guatemala should not help what it called independence attempts by Taiwanese authorities.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question regarding Giammattei’s planned visit.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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