Paraguay President Santiago Peña visited the Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan to study the island's technological development on Sunday [1, 2].
The visit underscores the strategic diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations, as Paraguay seeks to modernize its own industrial capabilities by observing Taiwan's established tech infrastructure.
President Lai Ching-te accompanied Peña during the tour of the facility [1, 2]. The visit occurred on the final day of Peña's state trip to Taiwan, where the Paraguayan leader said he aimed to learn from the decades of technological progress Taiwan has achieved [1, 2].
Paraguay remains one of the few nations maintaining full official ties with the government in Taipei. It is currently one of Taiwan's 12 formal diplomatic allies [1].
The Southern Taiwan Science Park serves as a hub for high-tech manufacturing and research. By touring the site, Peña said he aimed to identify scalable models of innovation that could be applied within Paraguay's domestic economy [1, 2].
Throughout the state visit, both leaders emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation. The focus on science and technology represents a shift toward deeper economic integration beyond traditional diplomatic agreements [1, 2].
“Paraguay is one of Taiwan’s 12 formal diplomatic allies”
This visit highlights the importance of Taiwan's 'diplomacy through technology.' By showcasing its science parks to allies like Paraguay, Taiwan secures political legitimacy and expands its economic footprint in South America, while Paraguay gains access to technical expertise for its own industrialization efforts.
