Paraguay reaffirms relations with Taiwan

Dismissing media speculation that Paraguay wants to establish diplomatic ties with China, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Jose Moreno yesterday reassured the Taiwanese public that the South American country's relations with Taiwan are as firm as ever.

"Despite China's repeated attempts, we've refused to establish diplomatic ties with it," Moreno told a press conference yesterday afternoon. "We'll continue to maintain full political, commercial and cultural relationships with the Republic of China."

Moreno made the remarks upon his arrival at the CKS International Airport at 5:30pm yesterday afternoon. He is one of a 21-member delegation led by Paraguayan President Luis Gonzalez Macchi that is visiting Taiwan.

The delegation is scheduled to meet with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) today. It will also visit a former military outpost in Kinmen on Thursday before leaving on Friday.

To promote "the enormous comparative advantages" of choosing diplomatic relations with China over Taiwan, Beijing has sent two missions to Paraguay this year.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Katharine Chang (張小月) yesterday dismissed speculation that Paraguay has planned to establish diplomatic ties with China.

"It's totally a mistake," she said.

Chang added that the media had mistaken what Moreno said during a press conference he held before the trip.

"When he was responding to a question regarding whether Paraguay would establish diplomatic ties with China, he said that although Paraguay recognizes both Taiwan and China as two different countries, China insisted that Paraguay sever the diplomatic ties with Taiwan if it wants to establish any official relations with China," Chang said. "Moreno insisted that Paraguay will not sever official ties with Taiwan."

Chang, however, refused to confirm a media report that Taiwan has requested the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank loan US$25 million to Paraguay for infrastructure work.

"It's confidential information," she said.

Meanwhile, Chang dismissed the accusation recently made by Nauru's President Rene Harris that the break in diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Nauru resulted in Taiwan's interference with Nauru's internal affairs.

Harris told Japanese media on Saturday that Nauru switched its diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China because a Taiwanese diplomat had tried to interfere in its national elections and had met with members of opposition parties.

"It's a serious matter when a diplomat interferes with the internal affairs of its diplomatic ally. Our diplomats would never do such a thing," Chang said.

As a diplomat's job is to make friends with everyone, Chang said, it could not be considered interfering in a country's internal affairs if a diplomat is friendly to members of opposition parties.

Chang added that even if Nauru wants to resume diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it would be impossible.

"We'd really hate to have a diplomatic ally maneuvering to benefit from both Taiwan and China," Chang said.

Harris also criticized Taiwan for announcing that Nauru had taken money from China to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

"We didn't take US$60 million from China," Harris said. "Taiwan, who claimed to be our friend, shouldn't have made such a groundless accusation."

Harris added that although Nauru and Taiwan have been "on good terms" over the years, Taiwan had offered the country only US$2 million in financial aid.