The foreign ministry reassured the public on Thursday that Taiwan’s interests will not be affected by the withdrawal from the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN). Taiwan officially withdrew from PARLACEN on Tuesday after the latter approved China’s entry and thereby revoked Taiwan’s permanent observer status.
Department of Latin American Affairs head Cheng Li-cheng (鄭力城) said that Taiwan will work with the existing mechanisms of PARLACEN moving forward to strengthen cooperation. According to their charter, major motions must be submitted to the foreign minister’s meeting and the heads of state summit for discussion and consensus. Given that diplomatic allies Belize and Guatemala have member state status, Taiwan’s interests will not be affected.
Guatemala’s incoming president César Bernardo Arévalo de León has said that he has no intention of altering his country’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan in previous media interviews.
Cheng also said plans regarding the Guatemalan president-elect’s inauguration ceremony will be made public in due time.