Paraguay aims to become a model of friendship with Taiwan: Official

Taipei, Nov. 22 (CNA) Paraguay's Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano said his country aims to become a model of friendship with Taiwan, according to the Legislative Yuan on Saturday.

In a statement, the Legislative Yuan said Ramirez made the comment when meeting with a 14-member cross-party legislative delegation, led by Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), who visited Ramírez in Asunción on Friday morning.

Ramírez was cited by the statement as saying that Paraguay and Taiwan are two like-minded allies with both having put much emphasis on freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, so his country will continue to support Taiwan in its quest for participation in international organizations, to facilitate the health and welfare of human beings globally.

The two countries are complementary with each other as Paraguay has abundant natural resources and Taiwan boasts its own high technologies, so they should cooperate, Ramírez said in the statement.

Beyond cooperation, Ramírez said, Paraguay has an ambition to become a model of friendship with Taiwan and will continue to work with Taiwan to make contributions to regional stability and global peace.

In the statement, Chiang told Ramírez that it was the first time that the delegation members visited Paraguay, expressing gratitude for the warm reception from Paraguayan friends which allowed them to feel they were at home.

Chiang said the Legislative Yuan will push for cooperation plans with Paraguay to forge closer ties between the two countries.

In addition to meeting with Ramírez on Friday, the Taiwanese delegation visited the embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan's formal name) in Paraguay and Taiwanese technical personnel stationed in the South American country.

Chiang and his delegates also met with overseas Taiwanese in Asunción before departing for Dallas Friday afternoon, according to the Legislative Yuan.

Chiang's delegation departed from Taiwan on Sunday to visit the United States and Paraguay, which is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in South America. The delegation arrived in Asunción on Tuesday.

During the stay in Paraguay, Chiang's delegation met with more than 50 Paraguayan lawmakers.