Guatemalan President, Alejandro Giammattei, pledged Tuesday to remain a “strong diplomatic ally” of taiwanduring a visit to the island of democratic government that has generated criticism from China.
The ruler, who arrived on Monday for a four-day visit, defended its relations with Taiwan at a welcome ceremony in Taipei.
“Rest assured that Guatemala will continue to side with the Republic of Taiwan as a solid diplomatic ally and will deepen relations in all areas,” he said.
The Central American country is one of the few that still recognize Taiwan, a list that has been reduced in recent years by the attempt to beijing to isolate Taipei internationally.
China considers Taiwan as part of its territory and does not accept that other countries maintain simultaneous diplomatic relations with Beijing and Taipei.
Hours later before the Taiwanese Parliament, Giammattei lashed out at China for the pressure against Taiwan, asking the international community to “be in solidarity with those who are under constant siege from the other side of the Taiwan Strait.”
Opportunities for cooperation
In an apparent reference to Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan, the Guatemalan president urged “the silence of the war drums. I demand an end to hostilities and warsboth here and in other parts of the world”.
He assured that his country “maintains unalterable its position in favor of the recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation” and that it promotes its participation in the UN.
The Taiwanese president thanked Giammattei for his support.
“I hope our countries will deepen their relations and explore more opportunities for cooperation on this visit,” Tsai said at the welcoming ceremony.
Giammattei plans to visit a technology company in Taichung and will have to participate in an event to promote Guatemalan coffee, according to Tsai’s office.
Tsai visited Guatemala and Belize weeks ago to strengthen relations with her last two Central American allies after Honduras broke with Taiwan in March and allied with China.
On her way back to Taipei, Tsai stopped over in the United States to meet with Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In response, China held three days of war exercises in which it simulated attacking and blockading the island.
Beijing warned on Monday that recognizing China, a key economic partner for the Central American nation, was “in line with Guatemala’s fundamental interests and the aspirations of its people.”
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that in the past 24 hours it detected nine aircraft and 11 military ships Chinese around the island.
Latin America has been a contested terrain since Taiwan and China parted ways in 1949, at the end of the Chinese civil war.
China has spent decades convincing Taipei’s diplomatic allies to switch sides, wresting nine from it since Tsai came to power in 2016.
Taiwan’s relations with Paraguay are at risk. Opposition candidate Efraín Alegre has said that if he wins the April 30 elections he will reassess relations with Taiwan.
(With information from AFP)
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Source-www.infobae.com