ASUNCION: Paraguayan President Santiago Pena said on Wednesday he was “fully available” to trade talks with China via the South American trade union Mercosur, despite his country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Paraguay’s long-standing political support for Taiwan has hindered native farmers ‘ particles exports to China, which claims sovereignty over the self-governed area. The only South American nation with official ties with Taiwan that vehemently contests China’s claims to independence.
Mercosur, a customs union that includes Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, has been in discussions to finish a long-awaited business deal with the European Union, but has also discussed a possible business deal with China.
” Our place with China is one of complete openness”, Pena said of Paraguay’s place within Mercosur, adding that the problem was more China hardly accepting its reputation of Taiwan. ” We are in favor of advancing industry partnerships”, he added in the interview with Reuters.
At a standard media briefing on Thursday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning stated to reporters that it hopes the Paraguayan government will” walk on the straight side of history.”
Mao claimed that China values economic and trade assistance with the Mercosur and other Latin American nations as crucial.
Mercosur leaders held a speech with Chinese rivals on Aug. 12 in Uruguay’s money.
” I see caution on Brazil’s side”, Pena said of the possible China partnership, which he emphasized that he supported. Uruguay and we follow this work to have a discussion as a bloc, in my opinion, are the most curious countries.
A request for comment was not immediately responded to by China’s foreign government or the Chinese ambassador in Uruguay.
