Taiwan Boosts Spending to Support Few Remaining Diplomatic Partners in Latin America

An honor guard in Taiwan holds the flag of Belize during a ceremony to welcome the Central American country's new ambassador to the island on September 12, 2025. Official Photo by Lin Yen Ting / Office of the President

Three years after the Taiwan government said it would no longer compete with China using so-called “checkbook diplomacy,” Taipei is now backtracking a bit on that pledge, with millions of dollars budgeted to bolster ties with its few remaining allies in Latin America.

The Foreign Ministry in Taipei’s budget next year for the Department of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Affairs will be nearly $180 million, including a $33 million increase.

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by Eric Olander

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