Paraguayan President Santiago Peña has described Taiwan's exclusion from the UN system as a “blemish” on the organization and warned that a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait could have consequences for the global economy.
In his speech to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Peña said: “Paraguay is not neutral on this issue. Paraguay stands — and I say it clearly and categorically — to Taiwan.“
He stressed that this position is not based on expediency, but on shared values such as “democracy, the rule of law, human rights and peace“.
Peña said that the 70 years of continuous diplomatic relations between Paraguay and Taiwan are “testimony to the true friendship between our peoples“. He reaffirmed Paraguay's support for Taiwan's full and meaningful participation in the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
“Taiwan can make a concrete contribution to peace, development and human rights“, Peña said. He said Taiwan's exclusion deprives the international system of opportunities that could benefit its members, "and is a stain on the United Nations."
The Paraguayan president warned that "ominous clouds" were gathering over the Indo-Pacific region, and in particular over the Taiwan Strait.
He said a possible conflict would affect Japan, East and Southeast Asia, as well as the global economy, including the supply of microchips on which industry, defense and artificial intelligence depend.
„ "Anyone who thinks this is too distant or unimportant simply doesn't understand the 21st century," Peña said, comparing the importance of microchips in the 21st century to that of oil in the 20th century.
"The stakes in this potential conflict could hardly be higher. The very future of humanity is at stake," he added.
Peña said the issue should not be seen as a problem affecting only Taiwan, as events in the region were "simply too dangerous for all of us."
He called on the international community to move from words to "concrete actions," and said Paraguay would be "at the front row, ready to help" at the negotiating table to achieve peace and understanding.