Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te is set to visit Paraguay in August, making a possible transit stop in the United States, President Santiago Pena said, according to Reuters.
We are preparing anxiously and with much affection to receive President Lai in 30 days.
Paraguay is the only country in South America and one of 12 nations that maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In recent years, some of Taiwan’s allies in Latin America and the Caribbean have severed ties in favour of relations with China.
Transit through the United States is considered an important part of the trip, as Washington is the island’s main international backer and arms supplier.
On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its opposition to what Beijing calls “sneaky visits” by Taiwanese leaders to the United States under any pretext. Ministry spokesman Lin Jian also warned that the US should understand the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and act with utmost caution.
The Taiwanese government, for its part, rejects China’s territorial claims and says it has the right to build ties with other countries and interact with the rest of the world.
