Paraguay y Taiwan They agreed this Friday visa abolition for its citizens, a confirmation of their close bond amid the recent tensions arising from the visit of a Chinese official to the South American country.
After a meeting with his Taipei counterpart, Lin Chia-lungthe Minister of Foreign Affairs of Asunción, Ruben Ramirezcelebrated the signing of the document that, as he assured, will open paths for foster the relationship among the nations, will make travel easier of its citizens and will create favorable conditions for the business sector.
Regarding the latter, Chia-lung also said that he will continue working for the approval of a bill that seeks reduce to zero the tax for the income of 19 Paraguayan products in its market, another example of the parties’ conviction to strengthen their bond and not break their alliance.
Paraguay, one of the few countries in the world – and the only one in South America – that still maintains diplomatic relations with the island, was involved in controversy this week, after a Chinese official traveled to the country and held meetings with local legislators.
This Wednesday, Beijing’s Foreign Minister for Latin America, Xu Weimet with the congressmen Éver Villalba y Billy Vaeskenand urged them to break their ties with Taiwan and opt, instead, for one with their country. “It is with China or with Taiwan,” he said, before mentioning the “practical advantages” that such a relationship could have, especially in matters commercial.
The Taipei embassy in Asunción expressed its dissatisfaction with this incident, which it considered an infiltration of Xi Jinping’s Government in order to undermine friendship of long standing. “The Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent and sovereign country (…) The Chinese communist regime has not represented and will never represent Taiwan,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement in which it repudiated what happened.
The Government of Santiago Peña, for its part, also acted and defined, the day before, cancel the visa of courtesy extended to Wei “by interference in internal affairs”. The Chinese official had 24 hours to separate from the delegation he was traveling with and leave the country.
Likewise, the presidential spokesperson, Paula Carro, maintained that the link with Taiwan will not be easily threatened by initiatives of this style and defended her friendship with the island.
“Paraguay’s relationship with Taiwan is a long term relationshiplong-range, decades-long, which is founded on common values. It is a relationship that It is going to extend far beyond this Government“, he said before ruling out that, despite Wei’s mention of possible trade advantages with China, “in no way” will his country be influenced by this.
“Paraguay is a great supplier of food to the world and is in a position to supply all the countries of the world and to continue conquering markets that it has not yet reached and that are within the horizon of this Government,” without fear of reprisals. , he concluded.
China, meanwhile, criticized the Executive’s decision to expel its official and maintained that the accusations are “unfounded”, “unjustified” and that “seriously violate international practices.”
