Trade, Not Politics Frame the China-Paraguay Relationship

China is Paraguay's third largest trading partner after Brazil and Argentina, according to 2023 data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

While political ties between China and Paraguay are increasingly strained over the South American country’s commitment to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, economic ties between the two are much more robust. Well, sort of.

China is Paraguay’s third largest trading partner, with goods that only flow in one direction. Chinese imports into Paraguay account for almost 20% of Paraguay’s total trade, with no Paraguayan products flowing in the other direction, according to 2023 data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Asunción.

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