Paraguay ‘Would Love’ Extra Commerce With China, however Taiwan Higher for Improvement

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Paraguay “would love” to do extra commerce with China, however Taiwan provides the most effective guess for shifting the largely agricultural economic system up the worth chain, the nation’s president-elect Santiago Pena mentioned on Saturday on a go to to Taipei.

Paraguay is the final South American nation with formal relations with Taiwan, which China claims as its personal territory. Honduras ended many years of ties in favour of Beijing this yr, and solely 13 international locations now recognise Taiwan.

Pena pledged throughout his election marketing campaign to take care of greater than six many years of relations with Taiwan regardless of stress from Paraguay’s agricultural sector, which needs to open up profitable Chinese language markets to soybeans and beef.

Chatting with reporters, Pena mentioned he was “absolutely dedicated” to Taiwan and blissful together with his conferences this week, which have included with President Tsai Ing-wen and Economic system Minister Wang Mei-hua.

“We have now no constraints on doing commerce with China. We’d like to do extra commerce with the PRC,” he mentioned, referring to the Individuals’s Republic of China.

However Paraguay can not depend on a single market, as a small nation doesn’t have the identical negotiating clout as Brazil or the US and doesn’t need to be flooded with Chinese language items whereas solely have the ability to export uncooked supplies.

“Paraguay is a powerhouse on meals manufacturing, however nonetheless at a really early stage. We offer very low value-added items. Grains, soy and beef,” he mentioned.

“We have to advance in giving extra worth added and for that, having a more in-depth collaboration with Taiwan places us nearer on a path to creating an industrial sector than we’d have if we had relations with China.”

Pena, who takes workplace on Aug. 15, mentioned he didn’t know whether or not Tsai or Vice President William Lai, who’s operating to succeed her in Taiwan’s January elections, would come to the ceremony, although added he can be delighted to obtain both or each.

“I’ve little doubt will probably be a big delegation, will probably be a high-level delegation.”

If Lai, goes he would probably journey by way of the US on what would formally be a stopover however would enable him to fulfill U.S. officers and focus on his coverage priorities ought to he win the election. Lai leads in most opinion polls.

Taiwan’s presidential workplace mentioned that they had been nonetheless within the planning levels of who would attend and would make an announcement as soon as particulars had been set.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Enhancing by William Mallard)

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