Paraguay President Santiago Peña Arrives for State Visit

Paraguay President Santiago Peña (貝尼亞 / 潘尼亞) arrived in Taiwan early Thursday morning for a four-day state visit, touching down at Taoyuan International Airport aboard an EVA Air flight at 4:35 a.m., where he was greeted by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). This marks Peñas second visit to Taiwan since assuming office in August 2023, but his first full state visit with the accompanying diplomatic protocol. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is scheduled to host Peña with full military honors and confer upon him the Order of Brilliant Jade (采玉大勳章), Taiwans highest honor for foreign heads of state, in a ceremony underscoring the enduring partnership between the two diplomatic allies.

In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency (CNA), Peña cast the Taiwan-Paraguay relationship in ambitious economic terms. "Paraguay is a green energy powerhouse while Taiwan is the world leader in advanced chip manufacturing," Peña said. "If we combine Taiwans technology with Paraguays energy supply, it would be a perfect match." The Paraguayan leader noted that his country generates nearly 100% of its electricity from renewable hydropower — primarily from the massive Itaipu Dam — and sees Taiwans semiconductor expertise as a natural complement. He is accompanied by a delegation of 39 business representatives, with an investment seminar planned during the visit to explore concrete cooperation opportunities in technology, agriculture, and renewable energy.

Peña also used the CNA interview to make a forceful statement on Taiwans international standing. "Taiwan satisfies all the elements of statehood — it is unreasonable that it has not received international recognition," Peña said, aligning himself with one of Taiwans core diplomatic narratives. The remark carries particular weight coming from the leader of one of only 12 countries that maintain full diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Paraguay has been a consistent diplomatic ally in multilateral forums, and Peñas visit is being closely watched as a signal of the alliances durability amid persistent Chinese pressure on Taiwans remaining diplomatic partners to switch recognition to Beijing.

Later Thursday, Peña received an honorary doctorate from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech), with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) attending the ceremony. Hsiao called the degree a reflection of the "solid partnership" between the two nations, noting that educational and cultural exchanges form a critical pillar of bilateral relations alongside diplomatic and economic ties. Taiwan Tech, known for its engineering and technology programs, represents the kind of institutional collaboration that both governments hope to expand — particularly in technical fields that align with Peñas vision of integrating Paraguays energy resources with Taiwans technological capabilities.

The visit comes at a time when Taiwans remaining diplomatic allies face sustained pressure from Beijing to sever ties. Each state visit from an allied leader is therefore freighted with significance beyond the immediate agenda. Peñas itinerary — which spans May 7 to 10 — includes meetings with President Lai, interactions with the business community, and cultural events designed to deepen people-to-people connections. Paraguayan officials have emphasized the "unshakeable friendship" between the two countries, and Taiwanese officials have reciprocated by describing Paraguay as one of Taiwans most steadfast partners in the international community.