President Tsai Ing-wen says that Taiwan and Paraguay are committed partners in commerce and democracy. Tsai spoke on Thursday, when she met with Paraguay's minister of commerce and industry, Luis Alberto Castiglioni.
Castiglioni is with a delegation on an official visit to Taiwan and has already met with other high-level Taiwanese officials like Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
Tsai says that Paraguay and Taiwan have grown increasingly close over the past five years, brought together by their shared diplomatic values. Both countries have openly condemned the war in Ukraine, while Taiwan has also enacted sanctions against Russia.
Tsai says she's grateful to Paraguay for supporting Taiwan in international organizations. Last September at the UN General Assembly, Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benítez advocated for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN.
Tsai adds that Taiwan and Paraguay are close trade partners, especially after their Economic Cooperation Agreement took effect in 2018. Last year, Taiwan imported a record-breaking quantity of frozen beef from Paraguay, coming out to 29,000 tons.
Tsai says that Taiwan has lifted tariffs on Paraguayan beef this year and is looking to expand its imports from the country. She says that the two countries will continue working together to build stronger relations and mutual prosperity.