Taiwan thanks Paraguay for expelling PRC envoy over recognition issue

Taipei, Dec. 8 (CNA) Taiwan's government has thanked Paraguay for its decision this past week to expel a visiting People's Republic of China (PRC) envoy for urging the South American country to ditch Taipei in favor of Beijing.

Paraguay on Thursday kicked out Xu Wei (徐偉), a senior Chinese envoy to Latin America, after he openly called on the South American nation to break off ties with Taiwan. He was given 24 hours to leave the country, according to an Associated Press report.

Paraguay's foreign ministry said it revoked the visa of Xu, who was in Paraguay for an annual UNESCO meeting and declared him persona non grata "over interference in internal affairs."

The announcement was made after Xu skipped the UNESCO session and instead appeared at Paraguay's Congress in Asunción accompanied by two China-friendly Paraguayan lawmakers, where he openly called on the Taiwan ally to change diplomatic recognition, the AP report said.

In a statement sent to CNA on Friday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) praised Paraguay's decision to expel Xu to uphold Paraguay's sovereignty and safeguard the 67-year friendship between Taipei and Asuncion.

MOFA also urged the international community to clearly see how China is "abusing" its participation in international organizations such as UNESCO for its own interests and "sabotaging the rules-based international order."

Asked about Paraguay's move to expel Xu, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian (林劍) said Friday that the South American country has made "unfounded and unjustified accusations" against Xu.

Lin reiterated Beijing's long-held stance that Taiwan is part of the PRC's territory.

"It is right and just to defend and uphold the one-China principle, no matter where we are. There's no so-called 'interference in internal affairs,'" Lin said during a news briefing.

Paraguay is the only nation in South America and one of only 12 countries worldwide that formally recognize the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name.

The government of President Santiago Peña, which took office in August 2023, has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to Taipei despite efforts by Beijing to snatch away Taiwan's formal allies in recent years.

Taiwan has lost 10 formal diplomatic allies, including four in Latin America -- Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador -- since May 2016, when the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) assumed office and took a hardline stance against Beijing.

(By Wu Su-wei and Joseph Yeh) Enditme/ls