Paraguay has expelled a Chinese diplomat, Xu Wei, accusing him of interfering in the country’s domestic affairs, Al Jazeera reports.
The Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that Xu’s visa had been revoked and he was declared persona non grata, given 24 hours to leave the country.
The expulsion stems from Xu’s unsolicited meeting with Paraguayan lawmakers. While in the country to attend a UNESCO conference, Xu bypassed the scheduled event to urge parliamentarians to sever ties with Taiwan and establish diplomatic relations with China. He reportedly told lawmakers they faced a stark choice: Taiwan or China.
Paraguay is one of only 12 countries worldwide that maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a self-governing island claimed by China. China demands that nations choose between recognizing Taiwan and maintaining ties with Beijing. Paraguay’s adherence to Taiwan makes it unique in South America.
During his meeting with Paraguayan officials, Xu emphasized the purported economic advantages of switching allegiance to China, highlighting potential increases in trade and other unspecified benefits. He reiterated these claims to the press, arguing that forging stronger ties with China would yield significant economic dividends, particularly citing the robust trade relationships China enjoys with countries like Brazil and Argentina.
Some members of the Paraguayan Congress have indeed suggested that closer ties with China could be beneficial, given the significant exports of goods like beef and soybeans to the Chinese market. However, Xu’s direct intervention, which he presented as non-negotiable, prompted the swift expulsion.
Taiwan’s government reacted angrily to Xu’s actions, condemning China’s continued efforts to pressure countries into abandoning diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. The incident underscores the ongoing geopolitical tension surrounding Taiwan’s status.
In recent years, several Latin American countries, including Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador, have switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, largely driven by lucrative trade deals offered by China.
