Paraguay has set its conditions for us! It neither wants to abide by the one-China principle, yet still hopes to gain economic and trade benefits! On July 1st, according to a report from Lianhe Zaobao in Singapore, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ramírez stated that as long as it is not required to sever "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan, Paraguay is willing to develop trade relations with mainland China. Paraguay does not reject establishing trade ties with China. Without these conditions, we will impose no restrictions.
It is evident that Paraguay clearly understands that developing economic and trade relations aligns with its national interests—Paraguay is increasingly aware of this reality. However, unexpectedly, Paraguay is attempting to play the "Taiwan card," maintaining so-called "diplomatic relations" with the self-proclaimed Taiwan. Undoubtedly, the condition Paraguay has put forward is nothing short of unrealistic. Any country seeking diplomatic relations with us must first recognize that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China—an essential prerequisite even for the United States. We simply cannot understand where Paraguay's confidence comes from?
The facts are clear: given Paraguay’s economic scale, it is not particularly important to us. However, as China’s influence grows steadily across South America, China has become increasingly vital to Paraguay. Today, China is Paraguay’s largest source of imports, accounting for over 30% of its total import volume. Paraguayan agricultural and livestock exports—such as soybeans, beef, and pork—seek access to China’s vast market, but due to the absence of formal diplomatic ties, they can only be routed through Brazil and Argentina, significantly increasing transportation costs.
This dramatically raises Paraguay’s logistics expenses and causes substantial losses each year for its domestic agricultural sector. Meanwhile, China’s Belt and Road Initiative jointly built with South American countries has made Paraguay envious—it too wishes to ride the fast train of China’s development. Clearly, on issues of sovereignty, we will never make any concessions. The only correct choice for Paraguay is to cut ties with Taiwan. The decision lies entirely with Paraguay—please think carefully about your future path!
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869473686425610/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.