Paraguay president vows to defend Taiwan ties ‘with all its strength’

Paraguayan president Santiago Peña said Monday that his country would “stand firmly by Taiwan”, describing the 68-year diplomatic relationship as a strategic and values-based alliance that the country is prepared to defend “with all its strength and with a loud voice”.

Speaking at a Taiwan–Paraguay business forum in Asunción, Peña said his country’s partnership with the self-ruled island reflects Paraguay’s sovereign foreign policy and its commitment to democratic principles, not just economic interests.

The remarks came months after Paraguay expelled a senior mainland Chinese diplomat in December for allegedly interfering in domestic politics over the Taiwan issue.

Paraguayan authorities said at the time that Xu Wei, a Beijing‑based envoy visiting Asunción for a UN event, skipped official meetings to privately urge opposition lawmakers to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing. They declared Xu persona non grata, accusing him of attempting to undermine the country’s long-standing diplomatic stance.

Xu defended his move by claiming that it would bring “thousands of advantages”, including expanded trade and investment.

Paraguay is the only South American nation that still gives official diplomatic recognition to Taiwan, and the relationship remains politically sensitive. While business leaders and opposition lawmakers have pushed for a pivot to China, Peña, who studied in Taiwan, has remained committed to Taipei.