TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has reassured the public that the diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Paraguay remain solid amid China’s vaccine diplomacy.

Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), director-general of the MOFA Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, said in a legislative interpolation session on Monday (April 19) that bilateral ties had been bumpy over the COVID-19 vaccine shortage woes but that the crisis has been defused, wrote Liberty Times.

Yui was referring to a New York Times report last week, which suggested increasingly louder calls across the political spectrum in Paraguay for the South American country to ditch Taiwan in favor of China over the prospect of securing much-needed COVID jabs. Chinese vaccine producer Sinovac has donated 50,000 doses to Paraguay’s soccer federation Conmebol, according to the report.

Yui said the report reflected an earlier situation where the lack of vaccines had led to noise in the Paraguayan government but that this has eased with the arrival of vaccines. With Taiwan’s help, Paraguay has received 100,000 doses from India this month, with an additional 100,000 underway, according to Reuters.

Paraguayan Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo, who publicly questioned the merit of continued diplomatic ties with Taiwan last month, has assured the country that bilateral relations remained strong, Yui pointed out.

China poached three former Latin American allies of Taiwan — Panama, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador — between 2017 and 2018 as it has sought to suppress Taiwan’s international space. Paraguay is the only remaining South American ally and one of only 15 nations that still recognize Taiwan.