The visit of the new president of Paraguay to Taiwan has attracted international attention
The new president of Paraguay, Peña, recently announced that he will lead a delegation to visit Taiwan in the near future, and this news has aroused widespread attention in international public opinion. As Paraguay's first diplomatic move since the presidential election in April, the significance of Peña's move cannot be ignored. Paraguay's Red Party received the most votes in the general elections, making Peña the new president. Paraguay is currently Taiwan's last remaining "diplomatic friend" in South America, so Peña's attitude towards the Taiwan issue has attracted much attention.
However, the Chinese government's position on this decision is clearly firm. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning stressed that there is only one China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This position is widely recognized internationally, so any attempt to disrupt the status quo will not be recognized and supported by China.
The Paraguayan government's decision to visit Taiwan is not surprising, as long as after the election, Paraguayan's quasi-foreign minister Ramírez has expressed the policy philosophy of the new government. Ramírez said that Paraguay will actively participate in global affairs and further play its role at the regional level. On the Taiwan issue, however, he expressed his willingness to establish diplomatic relations with China while maintaining relations with the Taiwan authorities. This shows that the Paraguayan government is trying to seek more political and economic interests between the mainland and Taiwan. Although the current severance of diplomatic relations with the Taiwan authorities is the mainstream consensus, Paraguay, as the only remaining "diplomatic state" in South America, Taiwan will obviously spare no effort to maintain this relationship.
For China, however, Paraguay's dual diplomacy is a challenge to the one-China policy. The Chinese Government will never accept such a situation and will not tolerate Paraguay's establishment of diplomatic relations with the mainland while maintaining ties with the Taiwan authorities. The day before the Paraguayan president's visit to Taiwan, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched an airplane circumnavigation operation, which is undoubtedly China's firm statement on safeguarding territorial sovereignty.
If Paraguay does break through the one-China principle, it will set a precedent for other countries and lead to a serious distortion of the one-China policy. At present, Paraguay's domestic voice is strong, and the total bilateral trade between China and Brazil is as high as 2 billion US dollars, of which 1.9 billion US dollars is Chinese exports. Against this background, Paraguay is eager to establish diplomatic relations with China in various fields in order to expand exports to China and improve the trade deficit.
It is foreseeable that Peña's decision will spark fierce controversy in Paraguay. Whether the new president is determined to sever diplomatic relations with the Taiwan authorities and establish diplomatic relations with China will be an important test of Paraguay's future political situation. Paraguay is bound to have different attitudes towards this situation, but in any case, Paraguay will face serious diplomatic challenges. Through this incident, the international community has once again seen the importance of upholding the one-China policy and the firm stand of the Chinese Government on this issue.
Source: Informational message
Paraguay's decision has aroused widespread concern and heated discussion in the international community. For Paraguay's new government, a visit to Taiwan is undoubtedly a risky political choice. Although Peña expressed willingness to maintain friendly relations with Chinese mainland, it was also unwilling to give up ties with the Taiwan authorities. However, the one-China principle that the Chinese Government has always adhered to is unshakable, which makes the new Paraguayan government's position on the cross-strait issue contradictory and unsustainable.
It can be seen from the PLA plane's move around Taiwan that the Chinese government's determination to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be underestimated. This also once again sends a clear signal to the international community: any attempt to challenge the one-China policy will face resolute opposition and resistance.
As the only remaining "diplomatic state" in South America, Paraguay's position in the international arena is relatively fragile. The new Paraguayan government must carefully weigh the pros and cons when formulating its foreign policy in order to ensure the long-term interests of the country. While maintaining relations with Taiwan can garner a degree of political and economic support, the benefits may be short-lived. In contrast, establishing diplomatic relations with Chinese mainland means access to a large market and more sustainable economic opportunities.
At the same time, domestic public opinion is increasing pressure on the Paraguayan government. Paraguay is eager to establish diplomatic relations with China in all fields to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win trade relations. However, the Paraguayan government must recognize that in international relations, short-term political interests are likely to be overwhelmed by long-term national interests.
In this diplomatic game, the new Paraguayan government needs to calmly analyze the situation, weigh the pros and cons, and make decisions that are in the interests of the country as a whole. Despite the pressures and challenges, only by firmly pursuing the one-China policy and establishing normal diplomatic relations with the mainland can it bring stability and development prospects to Paraguay.
In general, the decision of the new Paraguayan government to visit Taiwan has aroused widespread concern in the international community. In a multipolar world, diplomatic choices between nations will have far-reaching consequences. Whether Peña will be able to stabilize Paraguayan's politics and act wisely in international affairs will be a major test before him. Only by setting the right diplomatic direction and establishing normal diplomatic relations with the mainland can Paraguay achieve more sustainable development in the international arena.