How China Is Wooing Paraguay’s Political Class Away From Longtime Ally Taiwan

An electric bus donated by the Taiwanese government drives through a neighbourhood in Asuncion, Paraguay, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo

By Daniela Desantis and Lucinda Elliott

When Paraguayan opposition lawmaker Leidy Galeano returned from an all-expenses-paid tour of six Chinese cities late last year, she was convinced Paraguay risked missing out on major economic gains by sticking with longtime ally Taiwan over Beijing – a message participants on the trip heard repeatedly from Chinese officials.

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by Reuters

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