TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Paraguayan Congress and Senate President Silvio Adalberto Ovelar Benitez arrived in Taiwan on Sunday (April 14) to promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries and gain a better understanding of Taiwan's political, economic, and technological advancements.

Ovelar's delegation included Senate Vice President Hermelinda Alvarenga and Senator Pedro Alejandro Díaz. From April 14-18, the group will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), and attend banquets hosted by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). 

The senators will also visit the International Cooperation and Development Fund, Overseas Investment and Development Corporation, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei Metro Operation Control Center, Taiwan FactCheck Center, Cathay General Hospital, and Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.

Ovelar has visited Taiwan twice before, MOFA said. This third trip comes as Paraguay is seeking trade ties with China despite maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan. 

Paraguay President Santiago Pena previously said the nation has no limitations on deepening trade with China. He also acknowledged that “having a closer collaboration with Taiwan puts us closer on a path to developing an industrial sector than we would have if we had relations with China." 

Paraguay is a steadfast ally of Taiwan in South America, and the two countries have enjoyed close diplomatic relations for 66 years, MOFA said. 

In recent years, the two countries collaborated on bilateral projects such as the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University and the Health Information Management Efficiency Enhancement Project in Paraguay, which have been well-received by Paraguayans, MOFA said. Taiwan will continue to promote cooperation and exchanges with Paraguay to enhance the well-being of the people of both countries, the ministry added.