President of the Republic of Paraguay Santiago Peña participated in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he delivered a speech conveying Paraguay's support for the readmission of the Republic of China (Taiwan) into the United Nations.
The event gathered almost all of the world’s leaders under the theme "Building Trust and Reactivating Global Solidarity." The objective of the meeting was to accelerate the actions of member countries towards the 2030 sustainable development agenda.
President Peña declared to the General Assembly that Paraguay supports the entry of the Republic of China (Taiwan) into the United Nations. As a diplomatic ally, Paraguay believes that Taiwan should be able to engage with the international organization.
Both nations have maintained close diplomatic relations for more than 66 years. In his inauguration speech on August 15, President Peña said, "Our relationship with the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an example of the friendly and cooperative spirit of Paraguay with nations to which we have great affection and with whom we feel not only allies but also brothers."
Furthermore, Peña was the first Paraguayan president to visit Taiwan as a president-elect, since previous Paraguayan leaders only visited after taking office. During his visit to Taiwan as president-elect on July 15, Peña stated, "My position does not respond to a question of nostalgia or friendship, but there are solid foundations. There are concrete facts that support why it makes more sense to have a relationship with Taiwan than with China."
At present, bilateral trade is extremely important, as Taiwan is the main market for Paraguayan pork and the second largest for beef. In addition, there are over 300 Paraguayan scholars in Taiwan pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees, demonstrating the strong connections between the two nations.
Moreover, the democratic values of both peoples constitute a great factor of unity. It is possible to observe with great optimism the solid diplomatic relationship between Taiwan and Paraguay, separated geographically but united by the desire for progress and well-being.
Paraguay has historically been a great diplomatic ally for Taiwan. It has consistently reiterated at international forums the need for Taiwan to be reinserted into the United Nations, given its significant contributions to the international community as well as the rights of its people.
