Taiwan-made e-buses heading to Paraguay

Taipei, Dec. 8 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) saw off a shipment of domestically made electric buses to Paraguay from Taipei Port on Saturday, a milestone in Taiwan's efforts to help the South American country go green by exporting local technology.

In a Facebook post, Lin said he, Paraguay Ambassador to Taiwan Carlos José Fleitas, and Master Transportation Bus Manufacturing Ltd. Chairman Wu Ting-fa (吳定發) were at the port to see off the batch of 30 e-buses the company built for Paraguay.

The buses are expected to arrive in Paraguay by the end of February 2025.

According to Lin, the cooperation project was first proposed by Paraguay President Santiago Peña and later confirmed in an MOU signed in May 2024 during Peña's visit to Taiwan.

As part of the deal, Master Transportation Bus Manufacturing also committed to invest an estimated US$30 million in an e-bus manufacturing and assembly plant in Paraguay.

Speaking during the MOU ceremony in May, Peña said the agreement would not only pave the way for assembling electric buses in Paraguay, but also provide "the possibility of changing the lives of millions of Paraguayans" who commute to work.

There was "no better place" than Paraguay to develop electric vehicles in Latin America as it is a large producer of renewable energy, Pena said, adding that he looked forward to seeing Paraguay play "a leading role" in energy transition in the region.

At the same ceremony, Wu said the project's goal was to "enhance the development of public transportation in Paraguay" and would create an estimated 2,600 local jobs.

Through the investment, the company hoped to extend its presence from Paraguay to other members of the Southern Common Market, also known as Mercosur, a trade bloc comprised of Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and other South American nations.