China has called on the Paraguayan government to adhere to the one-China principle and “stand on the right side of history,” following remarks by Paraguayan President Santiago Pena regarding his country’s relations with Taiwan.
During a regular press briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to a recent social media post by President Pena. In his post, Pena described the 66-year-long “diplomatic relations” between Paraguay and Taiwan as in-depth and friendly, noting that it has not hindered trade relations between Paraguay and China because Paraguay still exports soybeans to China.
Lin Jian emphasized that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. “The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China,” he stated. “The one-China principle is a widely recognized norm in international relations and a common consensus of the international community.”
The spokesperson pointed out that, while China is the world’s largest importer of soybeans, official Chinese statistics show zero imports of soybeans from Paraguay in recent years. “If the Paraguayan government truly wants to pursue development and the well-being of its people, it should recognize the global trend and choose to stand on the right side of history, instead of playing with words and exploiting loopholes,” Lin said.
Paraguay is the only South American country that maintains official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a situation that has long been a point of contention in its foreign policy and trade relations.
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China calls on Paraguayan government to stand on right side of history
cgtn.com
