Beijing, May 24 (EFE).- China avoided confirming this Friday whether it has vetoed the entry of coffee and cardamom from Guatemala in apparent retaliation for this country’s support for Taiwan, as the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport) had denounced. ).
The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, said today at a press conference that he was “not aware” of the specific situation mentioned when questioned about the measure denounced by Agexport.
However, he stressed that China and Guatemala do not maintain diplomatic relations and reiterated his country’s position regarding the ‘one China’ principle, which considers Taiwan as an “inseparable part of its territory.”
For this reason, the Chinese spokesperson condemned the recent actions of the Guatemalan Government, including a video call between the president of the Central American country, Bernardo Arévalo, and the newly elected president of Taiwan, William (Lai Ching-te), as well as the attendance of the minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Mario Búcaro, at the investiture ceremony in Taipei.
Wang described these acts as a serious violation of the ‘one China’ principle, and emphasized that this situation harms cooperation between both countries, including the export of Guatemalan products to the Asian giant.
Furthermore, he urged Guatemalan officials to recognize the “international trend” and act in “the benefit of national interests and the Guatemalan people,” suggesting that they make the correct decision in accordance with these interests as soon as possible.
Agexport reported that several export shipments of coffee and cardamom to China have been detained in the Asian nation due to a possible trade “ban.”
Taiwan’s diplomatic recognition has been significantly reduced in recent years due to growing diplomatic pressure from China, which considers the island – autonomously governed since 1949 – a rebellious province.
Currently, Taiwan only maintains official ties with twelve States, seven of which (Paraguay, Guatemala, Belize, Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis) are located in Latin America and the Caribbean. EFE
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