Paraguayan President Pena Concludes Four-Day Visit to Taiwan

Beijing lashed out at Paraguay on Monday after President Santiago Pena completed a four-day visit to Taiwan. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun spoke at a regular press briefing and said China “firmly opposes and condemns” President Santiago Pena’s trip to Taiwan. Guo Jiakun urged Asuncion to “change course at an early date” and recognise the one-China principle.

“The wheels of history wait for no one. Rejecting the one-China principle will only isolate oneself from the international community,” Guo told the briefing. Guo Jiakun cited a poll showing that nearly 90 per cent of Paraguayan respondents backed establishing diplomatic ties with Beijing.

He said that nearly 90 per cent support for ties with Beijing proved that “colluding with the Taiwan authorities wins no support”. Guo Jiakun questioned whether the visit served the Paraguayan public or had “some ulterior motive”. Beijing brands Paraguayan leaders as willing “chess pieces” for independence forces on the self-ruled island that China claims as its own territory.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. Washington is opposed to any attempt to take Taiwan by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

The Taiwan issue looms large at this week’s Trump-Xi summit.