TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Paraguay Ambassador to Taiwan Carlos Jose Fleitas Rodriguez reaffirmed rock-solid bilateral ties on Thursday (Sept. 19).

In a meeting with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Fleitas said Paraguay’s cooperation and friendship with Taiwan is unwavering, CNA reported.

He said Taiwan-Paraguay relations are built on the shared values of democracy, cooperation, and friendship. Fleitas emphasized that the two countries believe in justice and the rule of law. Defending Taiwan’s democracy is tantamount to defending democracy worldwide, Fleitas added.

Han noted the friendship between Taiwan and Paraguay has endured since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1957. He pointed out that Paraguay's naturally grass-fed cattle and pigs are popular among Taiwanese consumers. Taiwanese legislators and their constituents could help boost sales, Han said.

The speaker also highlighted bilateral educational exchanges, with many Paraguayan students excelling in academic and technological fields in Taiwan. He hoped for even closer exchanges in the future.

Paraguay is Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in South America. 

In July, Paraguay President Santiago Pena expressed interest in boosting soybean and beef exports to China. "We have no constraints on doing trade with China,” he said at the time. However, he stressed that ties with Taiwan would remain unchanged.

"We need to advance in giving more value added and for that, having a closer collaboration with Taiwan puts us closer on a path to developing an industrial sector than we would have if we had relations with China," Pena noted. 

Since then, Paraguay has repeatedly underscored its long-standing alliance with Taiwan and pledged to continue to side with the East Asian nation.