Judicial Diplomacy Delivers Good News Again: Taiwan and Paraguay Sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty
Taiwan and Paraguay signed a Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty witnessed by President Lai Ching-te and President Santiago Peña Palacios. This treaty strengthens cooperation in criminal investigations and prosecutions between the two countries, promoting the fight against transnational organized crime.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 17:29
- 🔍 Collected: May 8, 2026 at 18:02 (32 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 9, 2026 at 06:07 (12h 5m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lin Chang-shun, Taipei, 8th) The Ministry of Justice today stated that Minister Cheng Ming-chien and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez today, witnessed by President Lai Ching-te and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios, signed the Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty at the Presidential Office.
The Ministry of Justice pointed out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Paraguay and the Republic of China in 1957, the two countries have enjoyed nearly 70 years of close friendship and tight cooperation in various fields. To further consolidate legal cooperation between the two nations, establish a model for judicial cooperation between Taiwan and South American countries, and declare a joint determination to combat cross-border crime, after three years of consultations, consensus on signing was finally reached with the efforts of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and colleagues from Taiwan's Embassy in the Republic of Paraguay, and with the support of Paraguay.
The Ministry of Justice stated that after the Taiwan-Paraguay Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty comes into effect, the two countries will be able to provide mutual assistance in criminal investigations, prosecutions, crime prevention, and related criminal justice procedures. This includes providing evidence, confirming the whereabouts of persons, assisting in serving documents, executing searches, seizures, inspections of objects and places, freezing, confiscating, and enforcing fines, as well as other assistance that does not violate domestic legal provisions. Furthermore, both parties can conduct remote interrogations of witnesses via video conferencing and allow personnel from the requesting party to be present during witness interrogations and to interrogate witnesses in a manner agreed upon by the requested party.
Judicial assistance between Taiwan and Paraguay, aided by technology in criminal investigations and trials, will significantly reduce the labor, time, and costs associated with cross-border evidence collection, achieving the goals of jointly combating cross-border (national) crime and increasing conviction rates.
The Ministry of Justice pointed out that in recent years, the Ministry of Justice has actively engaged in judicial diplomacy. This treaty is the 17th Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (agreement, accord) signed by Taiwan, and it is also the first Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (agreement, accord) signed by Taiwan with a South American diplomatic ally. This highlights the solid diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Paraguay and further demonstrates the two countries' joint determination to combat major organized cross-border crimes such as telecommunications fraud, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
The Ministry of Justice stated that this treaty not only deepens bilateral judicial mutual assistance and cooperation and enhances the efficiency of combating crime, but also is a milestone in expanding Taiwan's judicial mutual assistance and cooperation relations with South American countries, declaring a borderless determination to combat crime. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150508
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(Central News Agency reporter Lin Chang-shun, Taipei, 8th) The Ministry of Justice today stated that Minister Cheng Ming-chien and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez today, witnessed by President Lai Ching-te and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios, signed the Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty at the Presidential Office.
The Ministry of Justice pointed out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Paraguay and the Republic of China in 1957, the two countries have enjoyed nearly 70 years of close friendship and tight cooperation in various fields. To further consolidate legal cooperation between the two nations, establish a model for judicial cooperation between Taiwan and South American countries, and declare a joint determination to combat cross-border crime, after three years of consultations, consensus on signing was finally reached with the efforts of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and colleagues from Taiwan's Embassy in the Republic of Paraguay, and with the support of Paraguay.
The Ministry of Justice stated that after the Taiwan-Paraguay Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty comes into effect, the two countries will be able to provide mutual assistance in criminal investigations, prosecutions, crime prevention, and related criminal justice procedures. This includes providing evidence, confirming the whereabouts of persons, assisting in serving documents, executing searches, seizures, inspections of objects and places, freezing, confiscating, and enforcing fines, as well as other assistance that does not violate domestic legal provisions. Furthermore, both parties can conduct remote interrogations of witnesses via video conferencing and allow personnel from the requesting party to be present during witness interrogations and to interrogate witnesses in a manner agreed upon by the requested party.
Judicial assistance between Taiwan and Paraguay, aided by technology in criminal investigations and trials, will significantly reduce the labor, time, and costs associated with cross-border evidence collection, achieving the goals of jointly combating cross-border (national) crime and increasing conviction rates.
The Ministry of Justice pointed out that in recent years, the Ministry of Justice has actively engaged in judicial diplomacy. This treaty is the 17th Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (agreement, accord) signed by Taiwan, and it is also the first Criminal Justice Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (agreement, accord) signed by Taiwan with a South American diplomatic ally. This highlights the solid diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Paraguay and further demonstrates the two countries' joint determination to combat major organized cross-border crimes such as telecommunications fraud, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
The Ministry of Justice stated that this treaty not only deepens bilateral judicial mutual assistance and cooperation and enhances the efficiency of combating crime, but also is a milestone in expanding Taiwan's judicial mutual assistance and cooperation relations with South American countries, declaring a borderless determination to combat crime. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150508
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.