President of Taiwan continues visit to Guatemala after reaffirming alliance

The president of taiwan, Tsai Ing-wencontinues this Saturday his visit to Guatemala with a tour of some well-known Mayan ruins, after ratifying with his Guatemalan counterpart, Alejandro Giammatteia strategic alliance against the Chinese diplomatic offensive in the region.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen arrived in Guatemala on Friday for a visit to bolster ties with dwindling allies after a trip to the United States that angered China. Tsai’s visit to Guatemala and its Central American neighbor Belize comes after Honduras became the latest country to cut diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP) (JOHAN ORDONEZ/)

the journey of Tsaiwhich will also take her to Belize, takes place days after Honduras break diplomatic relations with Taipei to choose to link only with Beijing and it will be announced that the Honduran president, Xiomara Castrowill visit soon China.

In a meeting with giammattei, Tsai thanked the Guatemalan on Friday night for his support when China was conducting military maneuvers around the island last year in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

He also highlighted cooperation with Guatemala, one of the few diplomatic allies that the island has in the world. With belize are among the seven countries of Latin America and the Caribbean that remain on the list of 13 nations in the world that continue to officially recognize Taipei against beijing.

“Guatemala is a solid diplomatic ally of taiwan”highlighted Tsai when giving a joint message to the press with Giammattei.

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diplomatic conflict

The host president said that for Guatemala the visit of Tsai “It is very significant to renew and reaffirm the full support for the government of taiwan”.

giammattei also reiterated “the recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation and as the only true China”.

Latin America has been a diplomatic battleground since Taiwan and China parted ways in 1949, at the end of the Chinese civil war.

The communists seized power in mainland China, while the nationalists retreated to Taiwan.

A week ago, Honduras broke ties with Taiwan and recognized China as the only current nation with which it would have diplomatic relations, thus following the steps of breaking off Nicaragua (2021), The Savior (2018), Panama (2017) and Costa Rica (2007).

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hectic visit

Tsai had scheduled this Saturday a visit to the ruins of Tikal, one of the most important of the Mayan civilization in Guatemala, located in the north of the country, in the Petén region, on the border with Mexico and belize.

The president will travel by plane to the northern city of Flores, according to her schedule, to tour that emblematic archaeological site declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.

In some sections of your visit you will be accompanied by giammatteiwho has suffered from multiple sclerosis since his youth, for which he uses walkers to get around.

More than 42% of the inhabitants of Guatemala have Mayan ancestors, a culture that had its greatest splendor between 250-900 AD, and covered a large Mesoamerican area that includes the south of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize.

On Sunday, Tsai will visit the new hospital in the city of chimaltenangoin western Guatemala, built with a $22 million donation from Taipei.

That hospital began operating on February 10, but its opening was overshadowed shortly after with the arrest of a Vice Minister of Health and two hospital executives, for alleged acts of corruption when making anomalous purchases for almost 10 million dollars.

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Belize, next stop

Tsai will leave on sunday for belizewhere he will meet the next day with the first mi

The Taiwanese ruler arrived in Central America after a stopover in NY.

On his return trip he plans to meet in the state of California with the speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, which led to China to warn the United States that it is “playing with fire”.

Washington stated that there are no reasons why China “I overreacted.”

taiwan it has lost several Latin American allies in recent years.

Paraguay could be next, as it has presidential elections in April and the opposition candidate Ephraim Alegre He has said that if he wins, he will assess whether to maintain ties with Taiwan.

China it considers the island of democratic and autonomous government as a rebellious province that is an integral part of its territory, which it hopes to recover one day even without ruling out force.

Under the principle of “One China”does not allow any country to have diplomatic ties with beijing and Taipei at once.

The United States does not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but it does have a strong unofficial relationship, according to the State Department.

Washington is the island’s main ally and its biggest arms supplier, although it changed recognition to beijing in 1979.

Source: Elcomercio