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On the morning of May 8, after welcoming President Santiago Peña Palacios of the Republic of Paraguay with military honors, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, met with President Peña for bilateral talks, after which the two presidents jointly witnessed the signing between Taiwan and Paraguay of a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, an MOU on cybersecurity cooperation, and an MOU on the Paraguay–Taiwan sovereign AI and computing infrastructure investment project. In remarks, President Lai expressed hope that the two countries will continue to deepen cooperation as they take democracy, peace, and prosperity as the pathway to engage with the world, and that they will together make ever greater contributions to the international community.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Once again, I extend a warm welcome to President Peña and his delegation. The 20th of this month will mark the second anniversary of my inauguration. I would like to thank President Peña for making a special trip two years ago to attend the inauguration of myself and Vice President Hsiao. And I am very pleased that today we are able to engage in detailed discussions on a range of issues of mutual concern.
Diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Paraguay stretch back more than 60 years, and are all the more precious for it. This is especially so, as our two countries have each undergone a similar democratic transformation, and we both know full well that a way of life grounded in freedom and dignity is not something simply given to us. On the contrary, it must be continually practiced, defended, and steadily entrenched. Since taking office, President Peña has put forward a foreign policy framework for Paraguay that has earned considerable international recognition and yielded very strong results. Under this framework, Taiwan and Paraguay have not only jointly defended the values of freedom and democracy, but have also opened new chapters in cooperation across such fields as smart healthcare, industrial transformation, and women’s empowerment.
This has been especially true in the area of economic and trade relations. Last year, Taiwan was the third largest export market for Paraguayan beef, while Paraguay ranked second among sources of Taiwan’s beef imports. At the same time, Taiwan was also the largest export market for Paraguayan pork. All of this demonstrates that exchanges between our two sides are thus becoming increasingly vibrant.
I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that, thanks to the sustained efforts of both countries, Taiwan will formally open its market to imports of Paraguayan poultry. This will give our citizens a wider selection of high-quality meat products, while further deepening the economic and trade relationship between Taiwan and Paraguay.
In a few moments, President Peña and I will jointly witness the signing of a treaty and MOUs, marking a new milestone in Taiwan-Paraguay ties. These include the signing of a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, which will strengthen cooperation in combating transnational crime; an MOU on cybersecurity cooperation, allowing us to jointly build up our capacity to defend against cyberattacks; and an MOU on the Paraguay–Taiwan sovereign AI and computing infrastructure investment project, which will steadily realize the vision of combining Taiwan’s AI technology with Paraguay’s abundant green energy, so that together we can convert electric power into the critical computing power that a smart nation requires.
The fields covered by these agreements reflect Taiwan and Paraguay’s shared challenges. At a time when authoritarianism is continually expanding, and since both of our countries are indispensable members of the global democratic value chain, it is all the more important that we continue to deepen our cooperation and press forward together. As we look to the future, let our two countries take democracy, peace, and prosperity as our pathway to engage with the world, and together make ever greater contributions to the international community.
President Peña then delivered remarks, once again expressing his sincere gratitude to President Lai for the invitation and to the people of Taiwan for their warm hospitality, which he said fully demonstrates the deep and abiding friendship between the two countries. He stated that Taiwan is not only a place he personally respects, but is also renowned for its unique identity, cultural values, and resilience, all of which make this visit particularly meaningful. He stated that over the past 69 years since July 1957, Taiwan and Paraguay have built a foundation of sincere, faithful, and unbroken friendship. He added that our bilateral ties have stood the test of time, and today, gathered here once again, we continue to uphold the same spirit of mutual trust and respect that has always defined our relationship.
President Peña emphasized that the government of Paraguay has always staunchly supported Taiwan’s participation in international multilateral systems, support which is based on the democratic and equitable principles that reflect current global realities. Consequently, he said, Paraguay calls on the international community to recognize the Taiwanese people’s right to self-determination. He stated that excluding Taiwan from important platforms and systems such as the United Nations is not only an injustice but also undermines the legitimacy of these organizations as multilateral bodies that are truly representative of global democracies.
President Peña then said that based on this position, the Paraguayan government once again condemns the People’s Republic of China’s military exercises around Taiwan and Beijing’s escalation of economic pressure. In particular, he expressed opposition to China’s use of economic coercion to force the cancellation of flight permits, thereby interfering with President Lai’s scheduled official visits to allied nations. He reaffirmed that Taiwan has the right to engage freely with other nations and should not be subject to any improper interference intended to isolate it.
Regarding bilateral relations, President Peña pointed out that the Taiwan-Paraguay strategic partnership is built on a structural, long-term framework which aims to strengthen industrial capacity, introduce technological innovation, and create sustainable conditions for entering international markets. Bilateral trade, he said, is undoubtedly at the core of this cooperation, with the meat industry being especially critical. Noting that Taiwan remains one of the primary export markets for Paraguayan pork and beef, he thanked President Lai for the official announcement just now that Taiwan will open its high-standard market to the export of Paraguayan poultry products, and he expressed hope for continued expansion and diversification of bilateral trade.
President Peña stated that the Taiwan-Paraguay partnership is moving toward a cooperation model that focuses on innovation and strategic investment. With the staunch support of Taiwan and its industrial sector, he said, Paraguay is endeavoring to promote national industrial development, integrate into global value chains, and strengthen the cultivation of key areas such as technological and professional talent. He noted that progress has already been made in several high-impact projects, such as the establishment of a computing center for large-scale AI development and the construction of the new campus of the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University as part of Paraguay’s digital park plan, symbolizing a significant step in Paraguay’s transformation into a regional technology hub while improving the quality of life for its citizens.
President Peña mentioned that during this state visit, several documents would be signed, including a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters – the first such legal agreement Paraguay has signed with a country in Asia; an MOU on cybersecurity cooperation that will help both countries enhance information security resilience and cultivate relevant professionals; and an MOU on the Paraguay–Taiwan sovereign AI and computing infrastructure investment project.
President Peña reaffirmed that Paraguay remains committed to deepening our strategic partnership based on the shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. He stated that it will continue to promote sustainable bilateral relations and cooperation with the utmost sincerity and determination, so as to create tangible benefits for the peoples of both nations.
After the bilateral talks, President Lai and President Peña jointly witnessed the signing of a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, an MOU on cybersecurity cooperation, and an MOU on the Paraguay–Taiwan sovereign AI and computing infrastructure investment project between Paraguay Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and, respectively, Minister of Justice Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙), Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬), and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍).
The delegation also included Minister of Industry and Commerce Marco Riquelme and Chief of Staff of the Presidency Francisco Javier Giménez, and was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Paraguay Ambassador Darío Filártiga Ruiz Díaz.
