Promote the advantages of cooperation with China, such as contacting opposition candidates
Paraguay, Taiwan’s last Latin American ties
During the presidential election in Paraguay, where maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan became a hot topic, Taiwanese intelligence authorities said that China tried to intervene in the election by contacting pro-China lawmakers.
According to the Taiwan Press Free Times on the 28th, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) responded in a written response to a recent inquiry by Zhao Tenlin, a member of the Legislative Council of the Democratic Progressive Party (member of the National Assembly), about China’s intervention in Paraguay’s presidential election.
NSB responded to the effect that China had attempted to influence a certain candidate’s political views or instill pro-China ideas in the Paraguay presidential election held in April.
It is said that he tried to intervene in establishing diplomatic relations by using his pro-China connections in Latin America to contact opposition candidates and hold seminars on China-Paraguay relations to publicize the benefits of cooperation.
NSB also believes that China tried to influence the votes of Paraguayan voters by using telecommunications equipment maker Huawei and others.
Paraguay is the last Latin American country with diplomatic ties with Taiwan. In recent years, including Honduras in March, many Latin American countries have severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with China.
In Paraguay, voices calling for strengthening diplomatic relations with China have recently emerged, mainly from the opposition. The voices of the ruling party insisting that relations with Taiwan be maintained were so high that the Paraguay presidential election was conducted as a proxy war between China and Taiwan.
On the 30th of last month, as Santiago Pena, the candidate of the ruling Colorado Party, was elected, no major changes occurred. President-elect Pena attended the Qatar Economic Forum on the 24th and reaffirmed that “We will continue to maintain the 60-year-old diplomatic relationship between Taiwan and Paraguay.”
Meanwhile, NSB believes that there is a possibility that China may intervene in Taiwan’s general elections next year.
In order to prevent interference in the election, we plan to respond in cooperation with the National Police Agency.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.