Paraguay expels Chinese envoy over Taiwan 'interference'
ReutersDec 08
Paraguay Declares Visiting Chinese Diplomat 'Persona Non Grata' Over Taiwan
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Above: Chinese delegates during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asuncion, Paraguay, Dec. 4, 2024. Image copyright: Zhu Yubo/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
The Facts
Paraguay has expelled Xu Wei, a Chinese diplomat visiting the country for a UNESCO meeting, after on Thursday declaring him persona non grata, canceling his visa, and ordering him to leave within 24 hours.
This comes after Xu failed to attend the UNESCO session on Wednesday, appearing instead at Congress in Asunción to call on the nation to recognize the PRC over Taiwan in comments recorded and shared with the media.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
It's utterly despicable that a Chinese diplomat used a UNESCO meeting as a pretext to infiltrate Paraguay and try to persuade the country to switch its recognition from Taiwan to the PRC. Whether Beijing likes it or not, the long-standing diplomatic relations between Paraguay and Taiwan are stronger now than ever.
Pro-China narrative
That the island of Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese territory has long been consensus in the international community. Xu Wei was perfectly within his rights to reaffirm and uphold the one-China principle, so allegations and demands against him are serious violations of international norms.
