Paraguay’s tech minister defies Beijing sanctions, says Taiwan ties ‘not up for negotiation’

Gustavo Villate, blacklisted alongside Belize’s foreign minister, suggests the move was retaliation for excluding Huawei and ZTE from 5G

Paraguay’s technology minister said on Thursday that sanctions imposed on him by Beijing over his country’s ties with Taiwan would only accelerate joint projects with the island.

He also suggested that Beijing had acted to protect Chinese telecoms suppliers kept out of Paraguay’s networks.

“This sanction is, at its core, a certification that what we have been doing since 2023 is the right path,” he wrote.