President Tsai Ing-wen and Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez signed a joint statement at the Office of the President Oct. 8 in Taipei City, pledging to strengthen relations and deepen cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas.
In the statement, Taiwan and Paraguay vowed to expand ties on the basis of their shared democratic values and bolster exchanges in fields spanning investment, public infrastructure and trade.
According to Tsai, this marks the beginning of a new era in the robust partnership between the countries. Bilateral cooperation has already delivered significant results like the Taiwan-Paraguay economic cooperation agreement, which came into force in February this year, she said.
Going forward, the nations will build on this solid foundation and work to enhance trade and people-to-people connections through such measures as boosting collaboration on talent cultivation, she added.
Abdo described Paraguay as a true friend of Taiwan, stating that while the two countries are geographically distant, they are united by their shared values. Expressing gratitude for the warm reception he has received on his first state visit, he said that Taiwan and Paraguay are committed to further deepening relations for the benefit of the people of both countries.
The Paraguay president is on a five-day visit for the Double Tenth National Day celebrations Oct. 10. He is leading a delegation including first lady Silvana Lopez Moreira, Foreign Minister Luis A. Castiglioni, Education Minister Eduardo Petta and Alejandro Peralta, minister of the Secretariat for Information and Communication.
Following the signing of the joint statement, Tsai presented Abdo with the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon in recognition of his efforts to foster Taiwan-Paraguay relations. Thanking her for the award, he said that the honor symbolizes the deep connection between the nations.
Later the same day, Tsai also hosted a state banquet in Abdo’s honor at the Office of the President.
Speaking at the event, Tsai said that the strength of bilateral ties is evidenced by frequent high-level exchanges, citing her state visit to the South American ally in August for Abdo’s inauguration. She also thanked the Paraguayan president for his country’s staunch backing of Taiwan at the recently concluded U.N. General Assembly in New York.
In response, Abdo said Paraguay will continue to support the nation’s meaningful participation in the U.N. system. He expressed gratitude for Taiwan’s efforts to promote education and technological development in his country through measures like the establishment of the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University, adding it is hoped that the nations can explore further opportunities for collaboration in such areas. (KWS-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw