Post by : Shakul

Paraguay has strongly reaffirmed its diplomatic relationship with Taiwan despite increasing pressure from China to sever ties with the self-ruled island. Paraguayan President Santiago Peña expressed his country’s continued support for Taiwan during an official visit to Taipei on Friday, where he met Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on the sidelines of several diplomatic and cooperation events. The visit came just one day after China publicly urged Paraguay to end its formal relationship with Taiwan and recognize Beijing instead.

Paraguay remains the only country in South America that officially recognizes Taiwan and is one of only 12 countries worldwide maintaining diplomatic relations with Taipei. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has intensified efforts in recent years to isolate Taiwan internationally by persuading its diplomatic allies to switch recognition to Beijing. Alongside diplomatic pressure, China has also increased military activities around Taiwan, further raising tensions in the region.

During a military honors ceremony outside Taiwan’s presidential office, President Santiago Peña stated that Paraguay highly values its friendship and strategic partnership with Taiwan. He said both countries share important democratic values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights, which continue to strengthen their relationship. Peña emphasized that Paraguay remains committed to supporting Taiwan’s participation in the international community and promoting closer bilateral cooperation in the future.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te thanked Paraguay for standing firmly beside Taiwan during a period of growing international pressure from China. Lai stated that the friendship between Taiwan and Paraguay continues to deepen through strong political trust and expanding cooperation projects. Both leaders later oversaw the signing of several bilateral agreements, including a memorandum of understanding related to investment in an artificial intelligence computing center.

The reaffirmation of ties came shortly after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian publicly called on Paraguay to “come to the right side of history” by cutting diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Chinese officials repeated that the “One China” principle remains a core part of international relations and pointed out that more than 180 countries currently recognize Beijing instead of Taipei. However, Paraguay maintained its position and continued to publicly support Taiwan’s international role.

During bilateral discussions, President Peña also stressed that the people of Taiwan should have the right to make their own decisions based on democratic principles and fairness. He argued that excluding Taiwan from major international organizations, including the United Nations system, is unfair and weakens the credibility of global institutions. His comments reflected Paraguay’s strong support for Taiwan’s participation in international affairs despite opposition from Beijing.

The diplomatic tensions surrounding Taiwan continue to grow as China increases efforts to reduce Taipei’s remaining international alliances. Taiwan has already lost several diplomatic partners in recent years, including Honduras in 2023 after it established relations with China. Despite this pressure, Paraguay’s latest statements demonstrated that some countries remain committed to maintaining close ties with Taiwan based on shared political values, economic cooperation, and long-term strategic partnerships.

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