ASUNCION: Paraguayan President Santiago Pena said on Wednesday that he was “fully available” to business deals with China via South American trade union Mercosur, despite his country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Paraguay’s long-standing political support for Taiwan has hindered native farmers ‘ particles exports to China, which claims sovereignty over the self-governed area. The next South American nation to have official relations with Taiwan, which fiercely contests China’s promises to its nationality.
Mercosur, a customs union even including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, has been in discussions to confirm a long-awaited business deal with the European Union, but has also discussed a possible business deal with China.
” Our place with China is one of complete openness”, Pena said of Paraguay’s place within Mercosur, adding that the problem was more China hardly accepting its reputation of Taiwan. ” We are in favour of advancing industry contracts”, he added in the interview with Reuters.
Mercosur leaders held a speech with Chinese rivals on Aug 12 in Uruguay’s money.
” I see caution on Brazil’s side”, Pena said of the possible China partnership, which he emphasized that he supported. Uruguay and we follow this work to have a discussion as a bloc, in my opinion, are the most serious countries.
A request for comment was not immediately responded to by China’s foreign government or the Chinese ambassador in Uruguay.