Taiwan on alert over Paraguay's possible switch of ties to China

Apr 23, 2008, 9:34 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan Wednesday said it would strengthen communication with Paraguay's newly elected president in a bid to seek to maintain more than five decades of ties between Taipei and Asuncion.

'We have talked with the president-elect Fernando Lugo about the long-time and close relationship between Paraguay and Taiwan before and after the presidential poll in Paraguay,' said Taiwan's foreign ministry spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh.

'We would continue to communicate with him and other relevant authorities, hoping Paraguay would not sacrifice Taiwan's interest in developing relations with other countries,' she said.

Her comments came a day after Lugo said in a news conference Paraguay cannot turn a deaf ear to the increasingly strong calls from both the Paraguayn parliament and society for establishment of diplomatic relations with China.

Lugo, a former Catholic bishop who was elected president Sunday and would take office on August 15, noted that Paraguay is the only South American country without diplomatic relations with China despite their close economic ties.

Asuncion has maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than China for 51 years. China has been a political rival of Taiwan since the two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan an integral part of China, has said the island is not entitled to international and sovereign recognition. It has asked other countries not to forge ties with Taiwan and has offered financial and economic aids to try to woo away Taipei's allies, resulting in the island maintaining official ties with just 23 countries.