TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government of Taiwan confirmed on Tuesday (Dec. 10) it has donated an airplane to Paraguay, Taiwan's only remaining South American ally.

The donation was made following a request by the defense ministry of Paraguay, and processed in a transparent manner, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesperson Joanne Ou (歐江安). Funds for the second-hand airplane are covered by the budget already put aside for bilateral cooperation, CNA quoted her as saying.

The plane will be used for administrative, as well as rescue and relief purposes, since the Latin American country is prone to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and bush fires. Air transport abilities also need to be boosted for government officials who fly to remote areas for disaster inspection, MOFA stressed.

Taiwan’s military also donated used UH-1H helicopters to Paraguay in August. However, a crash involving one of the aircraft in November raised questions about whether the fleet had been adequately maintained before delivery.

Paraguay Defense Minister Bernardino Soto Estigarribia visited Taiwan last month, reportedly asking for logistics documents for the crash investigation. The island nation’s defense ministry declined to comment on the purpose of the trip, wrote Storm Media.