Taipei: Visiting Paraguayan President Santiago Pe±a on Thursday reaffirmed his country's diplomatic ties with Taiwan, stating he recently met with his Honduran counterpart in the United States before arriving in Taipei and shared Paraguay's experience of maintaining relations with Taipei. Pe±a arrived in Taiwan on Thursday morning for his first official state visit to the country and his fourth trip overall. Paraguay is the last country in South America and one of 12 countries worldwide to recognize Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC).

According to Focus Taiwan, Pe±a made a transit stop in Los Angeles to attend an international conference before arriving in Taiwan. On the sidelines of the event, he met with several leaders, including Honduran President Nasry Asfura, as mentioned in a post on X early Thursday. When asked about his discussion with Asfura and whether Taiwan was among the topics, the Paraguayan leader expressed that he informed his Honduran counterpart about the "great relationship Paraguay has with Taiwan."

Pe±a further conveyed to Asfura his intention to travel to Taiwan to strengthen bilateral relations and renew Paraguay's commitment to the partnership. He encouraged Asfura to observe the economic diversification, growth, and development occurring in Paraguay due to its partnership with Taiwan.

Although Pe±a mentioned that they did not directly discuss whether Honduras would re-establish ties with Taiwan, he emphasized his open support for Taiwan in international forums and described Paraguay as a strong advocate for Taiwan. Asfura, who assumed office in January, had pledged during his campaign to restore ties with Taipei, following Honduras's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 2023 under former President Xiomara Castro in favor of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Taiwan's government has expressed openness to restoring ties with Honduras; however, official talks between the two sides have not yet commenced. During an interview on Thursday, Pe±a addressed why Paraguay remains the only country in South America to recognize the ROC over the PRC. He highlighted that both countries were built through the drive and perseverance of their people and share values of self-determination, freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Pe±a noted that some believe Paraguay supports Taiwan mainly due to the United States' influence. However, he clarified that Paraguay would continue to support Taiwan, even without U.S. backing. He praised Taiwan's economic achievements and expressed hopes for Paraguay to replicate Taiwan's development model and advancements in the high-tech sector, emphasizing the long-standing friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan.