Peña: Taiwan Meets State Criteria, Unrecognized Internationally is Unreasonable [Exclusive Interview]

Central News Agency

(CNA, Taipei, May 7) South American ally Paraguay's President Santiago Peña, in an exclusive interview with CNA on the first day of his state visit to Taiwan from May 7th to 10th, referred to himself as a "staunch advocate for Taiwan." He stated that Taiwan meets the criteria of a state and that its lack of international recognition is unreasonable. He assured that bilateral relations would be maintained during his term and emphasized that market diversification and the "Taiwan Model" are areas from which Paraguay can learn.

Peña, who took office in August 2023, serves a five-year term and is not eligible for re-election. His administration has demonstrated a firm stance on Paraguay-Taiwan relations, resolutely resisting economic inducements from China.

Calling himself a "staunch advocate for Taiwan," Peña asserted that the international community should recognize Taiwan, a nation with 23 million people, a system of elections and separation of powers, and its own military, thus fulfilling the elements of a state. He deemed it unreasonable that Taiwan is not internationally recognized or even discussed.

Peña stated that Paraguay has much to learn from Taiwan's experience and that Taiwan need not worry about bilateral relations. He pledged not only to defend but also to promote these relations during his tenure.

Explaining the reasons for upholding Paraguay-Taiwan relations, Peña noted that Taiwan's achievements today, despite hardships, are very similar to Paraguay's own journey, allowing him to understand the pressure Taiwan continuously faces from China. While Paraguay is not currently facing threats from neighboring countries, it fought wars with its neighbors 170 years ago, losing 60% of its territory and 90% of its male population.

He emphasized that Paraguay drew strength from these difficulties to lead the nation and become a developed country, aspiring to become the best-developed nation, with Taiwan's experience serving as the best example.

With a background in economics, Peña specifically mentioned market diversification as a key reason for maintaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan, calling it a fundamental economic concept.

He often gets asked why Paraguay is turning away from the Chinese market. "Even if China has 1.4 billion people, there are still 6.6 billion people in other countries to explore business opportunities," he said. He recalled asking banana and shrimp farmers in Ecuador about their experiences exporting to China, and they were dissatisfied because their customers had greater bargaining power.

Peña indicated that Paraguay's desired growth lies in the technology and manufacturing sectors. "Following the Taiwan Model for development would be better than developing relations with China." For Paraguay, the benefits of maintaining relations with Taiwan extend beyond import-export trade; it's about replicating Taiwan's economic model, hence the decade-long cooperation between Taiwan and Paraguay in technological universities, starting with talent cultivation.

Peña's visit to Taiwan closely follows President Lai Ching-te's state visit to Eswatini, an African ally, and his subsequent return. Lai's trip to Eswatini was delayed due to three African nations canceling flight permits, prompting an immediate expression of concern from Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media.

Regarding this, Peña considered it a clear threat from China. Using a mountain-climbing analogy, he explained that the higher one climbs, the thinner the air becomes – a risk of success. The louder one's voice, the greater the risks one must bear, and Taiwan is no different. Taiwan's continued superior performance compared to China leads to higher risks, but avoiding risks would mean not succeeding or not making good decisions for the people.

Peña stressed that under the Lai administration, he sees Taiwan's economic performance as robust. He posed the question of whether a system with electoral freedom or one without is better. Like Taiwan, Paraguay is a "bad example" for China. China promises to solve the problems of new partners, provided they only trade with China. "But why do countries that do not trade with China perform better economically?"

Peña also mentioned that the United States has clearly stated it will protect countries that maintain relations with Taiwan, as the U.S. understands the fundamental values involved. (Editor: Lin Keren) 1150507

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