Paraguay expels Chinese envoy over Taiwan 'interference'

By Daniela Desantis

Paraguay said on Thursday it had canceled a low-level Chinese diplomat's visa and ordered him to leave, after the envoy appeared to encourage lawmakers to reconsider Paraguay's friendly relationship with Taiwan.

The foreign ministry accused Xu Wei of "interference in domestic affairs," while Taiwan's embassy said he had "infiltrated" Paraguay to undermine its relationship with Chinese-claimed Taiwan.

The ministry did not detail Xu's offence, saying he had violated the terms of his visa after arriving as part of a Chinese group for a UNESCO meeting. Xu was given 24 hours to leave.

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In comments recorded in Paraguay's parliament and shared with Reuters, Xu urged Paraguay to recognize China over Taiwan.

Xu made the comments after meeting with two opposition lawmakers with sympathetic views toward China.

"Having diplomatic relations with China, you can earn more, save more, lower your costs," Xu was heard to say.

"My purpose of this visit is to promote, accelerate the process of filling the gap in the map of Paraguay, that gap is gigantic, which is called the People's Republic of China," he said.

"There is no 'and' option. With China and Taiwan it's just 'or': China or Taiwan."

China's foreign ministry denied interference in Paraguay's affairs, saying the "one-China principle" was a norm of international relations.

"Accusations and demands made by the relevant departments of the Paraguayan side against the relevant members of the Chinese delegation are unjustified and groundless," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

Paraguay's long-standing diplomatic support for Taiwan has held back grain exports to China. It is the only remaining South American country with formal relations with Taipei.

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China considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory. Taipei rejects this, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

"This gentleman had a parallel agenda; he came to do internal politics that were not appropriate," said Juan Baiardi, Deputy Minister of Administration and Technical Affairs of Paraguay's Foreign Ministry.