President of Paraguay warns About China’s influence in Latin America
The President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, expressed his concern about the growing influence of China in Latin America in a recent interview with Infobae. “China’s influence is growing, and that is very concerning,” Peña stated during a visit to Washington, where he seeks to strengthen political relations with the United States Congress and the White House.
Paraguay is one of the few countries in America that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and Peña is set to travel to the Asian island to attend the inauguration of Taiwanese president-elect and current vice president Lai Ching-te on May 20. The official visit, which will take place from May 18th to May 22nd, reaffirms Paraguay’s support towards Taiwan, despite Beijing’s pressures to sever those diplomatic ties.
Additionally, Peña highlighted how the economic weakness of certain countries in the region has been leveraged by China to expand its influence through the financing of public works, providing soft loans, and opening commercial markets. “Many countries decide to strengthen their ties with China because they have no other option. We have seen this in Venezuela,” Peña stated.
Peña’s visit to the United States included meetings with parliamentarians and think tanks, where he aimed to increase Paraguay’s visibility and strengthen institutional ties. “I set the goal of strengthening ties with the United States Congress, the White House, and various think tanks to generate more information about Paraguay’s history. I believe in the need to deploy a very active presidential diplomacy,” the president remarked.
The Paraguayan president concluded his visit to Washington with the hope of removing obstacles that prevent the export of Paraguayan beef to the United States, after receiving support from the U.S. executive branch. Peña emphasized that his goal is not to ask for donations but to increase Paraguay’s visibility and highlight its economic potential. “Paraguay has very good macroeconomic numbers,” he stated during a meeting with U.S. lawmakers.
Peña aims to position Paraguay on the global stage, facing geopolitical challenges and strengthening alliances with the United States and Taiwan, while cautiously observing the growing influence of China in Latin America.
Main source:
El presidente de Paraguay asistirá a la asunción de Lai Ching-te en Taiwán | France 24 (2024, mayo 16)
Other related sources:
Peña advierte: “La influencia de China está creciendo” | La Nación (2024, mayo 16)
Santiago Peña, presidente del Paraguay: “La influencia de China está creciendo y eso es muy preocupante”| Infobae (2024, mayo 16)