Paraguay, one of Taiwan’s few remaining official allies, has asked the island’s government to invest $1 billion (£930 million) to ensure it can resist pressure to shift its diplomatic relations with China.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Paraguay’s President, Mario Abdo Benitez, said his government is working with the Taiwan government to ensure Paraguayans feel “the real benefits of the strategic alliance.”
“There are Taiwanese investments of more than six billion dollars in countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and we want that billion dollars to be put in Paraguay,” he said. “This will help us build the debate about the importance of this strategic alliance with Taiwan.”
China claims that Taiwan is a province that it intends to annex one day. The government of Taiwan asserts that it is a sovereign nation. While Taiwan has widespread global support in the face of Chinese aggression, no country around the world can recognize both governments, and Paraguay is one of only 14 countries that have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of China. Most are concentrated in Latin America and the Pacific, but in recent years China has persuaded several, including the Solomon Islands, Panama, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua to switch relations, with promises of increased trade, loans and investment.
Dr Mark Harrison, a senior lecturer in Chinese studies at the University of Tasmania, said Taiwan had always been at risk of losing allies, and such comments were sometimes indicative of a debate about transformation.
“However, in the wake of developments in the Pacific over the past several years, there is greater awareness in the United States and elsewhere that shifting recognition from Taipei to Beijing could be the first step toward other security and economic ties with China, so there is no doubt there Diplomatic work will be underway from a number of countries to understand Asuncion’s position on continuing relations with Taiwan.”
Paraguay’s GDP is about $39 billion, 30% of which comes from agriculture. Abdo Benitez noted that the continuation of Paraguay’s relationship with Taiwan over China has cost the country a heavy price. He told the Financial Times that the lack of access to the Chinese market was upsetting Paraguay’s export producers. He also said it had a detrimental effect on Paraguay’s ability to obtain Covid-19 vaccines when they were largely available only from China.
On Thursday, Paraguay’s Foreign Minister, Julio Cesar Areola, appeared to be retracting Abdo Benitez’s comments, according to a press conference held by Taiwan’s foreign ministry.
According to ministry spokeswoman Joanne O, Areola spoke to Taiwan’s ambassador to Paraguay “to make it clear” that the relationship between the two countries is “based on shared values and ideas” and there is no barter.
According to Ou, Areola said, “What President Abdu emphasized in the exclusive interview is that Paraguay enjoys excellent investment conditions and hopes that Taiwanese businessmen can enter the South American market by investing in Paraguay, which is of great importance to establish a strategic strategy. The Taiwan-Taiwan Partnership and Paraguay.
Oe said the Taiwan government will continue to encourage local companies to invest in Paraguay.
Additional reporting by Chi Hui Lin
from San Jose News Bulletin https://sjnewsbulletin.com/paraguay-asks-taiwan-to-invest-1-billion-to-remain-an-ally-paraguay/
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