Paraguay has kicked out a Chinese envoy who was in the country to attend a UNESCO session due to what their Foreign Ministry said is interference in internal affairs. The Chinese diplomat Xu Wei (徐偉) allegedly urged Paraguay to break off ties and end its 67-year relationship with Taiwan.
What was a routine visit to Paraguay to take part in an annual UNESCO meeting on Wednesday took a turn when Xu skipped the meeting and instead appeared at the Paraguayan Congress, where he proceeded with his attempt to persuade the country to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Xu said Paraguay could benefit from expanded trade with China, among “thousands of other advantages” should the South American country decide to switch its alliance.
The Taiwanese Embassy in Paraguay took to social media to criticize the diplomat’s actions following the incident, stating that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, and the CCP has never represented and cannot represent Taiwan.
Paraguay’s Foreign Ministry said it had revoked Xu’s visa and declared him persona non grata, after which he was given 24 hours to leave the country.