TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday morning (Feb. 9) welcomed the forthcoming arrival of Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez, who will be in Taiwan for a state visit from Feb. 14-18.
Benitez will be accompanied by his wife Silvana Lopez Moreira, Foreign Minister Ariola Julio Cesar Arriola and his wife, Minister of Industry and Commerce Luis Castiglioni, and other government officials, MOFA said. Benitez last visited Taiwan in 2018 for the Double Ten Day celebration.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will meet the delegation and treat them to a state banquet. The two presidents will exchange views on bilateral cooperation and issues of common concern, and oversee the signing of an agreement on the training, exchange, and cooperation of diplomatic personnel by the foreign ministers of the two countries.
The delegation will also attend a banquet hosted by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and take part in a 2023 Paraguay meat promotion and investment information session organized by the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei. The group will stop in Hualien to visit Taroko National Park and the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation headquarters as well.
Additionally, Moreira will attend the "Empower Women! Empower LAC! Forum," hosted by Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund.
“Taiwan and Paraguay have established diplomatic relations for more than 65 years, and the friendship between the two countries has been solid,” MOFA said. Cooperation projects promoted by the two governments have benefited Paraguayans’ well-being and boosted the economic and social development of Paraguay, which has been widely recognized and appreciated by the Paraguayan government and citizens, it added.
Paraguay has taken concrete actions for many years to support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization and other international organizations, the foreign ministry said. It pointed out that Abdo has spoken up for Taiwan at the U.N. General Assembly four times, which has “helped to increase the international community's attention and support for Taiwan's international participation.”