TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In the wake of a diplomatic alarm from Tuvalu, Taiwan's Central American ally Guatemala confirmed on Tuesday (Feb. 6) that it is considering establishing formal trade ties with China.
"We will continue to cooperate with Taiwan on existing levels, but as the president pointed out, we cannot ignore the weight and strength that China represents," Guatemala's Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez said in a Reuters interview.
He suggested the creation of a 'trade representative office' to assist Guatemalan products in finding a market in China.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday that Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo once took the initiative to pledge to maintain Taiwan's friendship, and has repeatedly stated his support for the Taiwan-Guatemala diplomatic ties before and after the election, with a consistently firm stance.
As many Central American countries have severed ties with Taiwan in recent years and turned to recognize China, Guatemala is one of the remaining twelve countries with diplomatic relations with Taiwan.