President of the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies Carlos María López arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a five-day visit, and is scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (???) Monday, according to the Presidential Office.

In a press release on Sunday, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (???) said López showed strong support for Taiwan during heightened cross-strait tensions last August, when China initiated live-fire military exercises in areas around Taiwan.

Calling the South American nation a staunch ally of the Republic of China, the official name of Taiwan, Chang also lauded solid ties and parliamentarian exchanges between both countries, which established formal diplomatic relations in 1957.

Taiwan and Paraguay have continued to work closely over the past three years in areas such as transportation, education, agriculture and trade despite the COVID-19, Chang said.

It was the first time López has visited Taiwan in his capacity as Paraguay's lower house speaker, a position he took last July, according to Chang.

The Paraguayan delegation includes Edgar Espínola Guerrero, chairperson of the committee on national defense, security and intelligence; Teófilo Espínola Peralta, who leads the committee on social development and housing; and Rodrigo Daniel Blanco Amarilla, chairperson of the committee on childhood and youth development, Chang said.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week, the delegation will also meet Legislative Yuan speaker You Si-kun (???) and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (???), as well as representatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Mainland Affairs Council before its departure on Jan. 12.

Paraguay is one of 14 nations to maintain formal ties with Taiwan.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel