Paraguay Chamber of Deputies President Raúl Luis Latorre Martínez and his delegation arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday. In a Wednesday meeting, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) stated that the presence of Paraguayan Congressmen, especially visiting for the National Day celebrations, fully demonstrates the importance this allied country holds for Taiwan. 

The president emphasized that Latorre has spoken out for Taiwan on numerous international occasions, and the Paraguayan Congress has consistently issued pro-Taiwan statements, firmly supporting Taiwan's international participation. President Santiago Peña even spoke out in Taiwan's favor at this year's UN General Assembly debate, emphasizing that "doing the right thing is priceless" and that "Taiwan must have a seat at the UN." Lai expressed the heartfelt gratitude of the Taiwanese people to the Paraguayan government.

Lai detailed that Taiwan and Paraguay are brotherly nations, sharing the values ​​of democracy and freedom. He looked back at the early 1990s, when Taiwan and Paraguay embarked on democratization almost simultaneously. He said, "Faced with the expansion of authoritarianism and a rapidly changing international landscape, we look forward to our two countries working together to meet the challenges of the new era, safeguard democracy and freedom, and contribute more to global peace and prosperity."

The president also noted that over the past few years, Taiwan and Paraguay have achieved significant cooperative results in areas such as education, agriculture, infrastructure, and women's empowerment. Going forward, he said that both legislatures will continue to promote various cooperative initiatives to maximize the well-being of the people of both countries.

Latorre stated that he led the largest bipartisan delegation in history to Taiwan during this difficult time in order to send a clear message: "Paraguay will stand firmly by its ally, Taiwan." He emphasized that the freedom, sovereignty, and democracy represented by Taiwan are important values ​​that Paraguay will never replace, and that Paraguay will continue to speak out for Taiwan in various international arenas.

Latorre also underscored that Paraguay, having experienced war, understands the preciousness of peace and therefore condemns China's intrusions into Taiwan's naval and air space. He emphasized that Paraguay will stand closely with like-minded countries such as Taiwan and the United States, making every effort to safeguard freedom, democracy, and sovereignty, and will firmly deepen the brotherly friendship between Taiwan and Paraguay.