China imposes sanctions on ministers of Paraguay and Belize — Channel NewsAsia

China announced in Beijing sanctions against Paraguay’s Minister of Information and Communication Technologies Gustavo Villate and Belize’s Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca over their countries’ diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Channel NewsAsia reports, citing a statement by China’s Foreign Ministry.

Restrictions for officials

The sanctions provide for freezing Villate’s and Fonseca’s property and assets in China, denying them visas, and prohibiting Chinese organizations from doing business with them.

The measures were announced two days after Taiwan’s National Day celebrations. China claims the self-governed island as its territory.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Contacts with Taiwan

Gustavo Villate wrote on social media on the occasion of Taiwan’s National Day that Paraguay reaffirms relations of friendship and cooperation based on shared values and principles: the self-determination of peoples, human rights and democracy.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, who has called Taiwan a fundamental partner of the country, visited Taipei earlier this year. During the visit, the sides signed agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, cooperation in cybersecurity, as well as investments in artificial intelligence and computing technologies.

Last month, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung visited Belize. Taiwan’s ministry said the sides agreed to deepen bilateral ties. According to the outlet, Taiwan maintains official diplomatic relations with 12 countries, including Paraguay, Belize, Guatemala and Haiti in the Americas.