The Chinese Communist government announced on Monday sanctions against Gustavo Villate, the communications minister of Paraguay, and Francis Fonseca, the foreign minister of Belize, for allegedly working as “pawns” of the “separatists” in Taiwan.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday that Villate and Fonseca were targeted for their “egregious remarks and actions” on Taiwan.
“Certain politicians from Paraguay and Belize have acted as pawns for the Taiwan authorities, which seek ‘independence’ by relying on external forces,” Mao said.
“They made illicit visits to Taiwan and received Taiwan separatist figures, gravely interfering in China’s internal affairs,” she charged. “They spread disinformation about alleged Chinese cyberattacks and smeared China, creating grave adverse international repercussions.”
Mao said the two would be subjected to “countermeasures” under the Communist dictatorship’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, which was ostensibly imposed in 2021 to dissuade other countries from leveling human-rights sanctions against China.
“For diehard supporters of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, China will take all necessary punitive measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Mao threatened.
“We urge the very few countries left which still have so-called ‘diplomatic ties’ with China’s Taiwan region to avoid being manipulated and used by separatist forces for ‘Taiwan independence,’” she said. “Betting on ‘Taiwan independence’ has no future. It will only cost them opportunities for development and lead to international isolation.”
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the sanctions will freeze assets held by Villate and Fonseca in China, prohibit Chinese entities from doing business with them, and block them from traveling to China, Hong Kong, or Macau.
Belize and Paraguay are two of the 12 nations that have active diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Beijing apparently decided to move against them now because Paraguay recently found that Chinese hackers had breached government computer systems, while Belize signed an agreement on diplomatic training with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung during his visit in September.
Taiwan has also proposed investing $200 million in a data center in Paraguay, an idea enthusiastically embraced by Villate, who said his country could provide the affordable hydropower and other infrastructure needed for the project.
Villate said the data center would be owned by a new joint venture company owned equally by Paraguay and Taiwan, and could receive funding from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
“This is a very large project with a tremendous impact, not just for Paraguay but for the region as a whole,” he said when announcing the project in June.
The Foreign Ministry of Paraguay rejected China’s sanctions on Monday, saying the move would “generate unnecessary friction with our country.” The ministry defiantly added that Paraguay “once again ratifies its firm support for the Republic of China,” meaning Taiwan.
Villate said he viewed Beijing’s sanctions as a “medal of honor,” and his enthusiasm for the data center partnership with Taiwan was undimmed.
“No outside sanction conditions our decisions. Together with Taiwan, we are going to speed up every joint project,” he vowed.
The foreign ministry of Belize likewise rejected China’s sanctions, insisting that as a “sovereign and independent state,” it would not allow Beijing to bully it away from supporting Taiwan.
The ministry’s statement said:
Belize’s diplomatic relationship with Taiwan was established by a sovereign decision of our country. It is a partnership that has delivered cooperation in development, health, education, and infrastructure, the environment and agriculture for the benefit of the Belizean people.
These measures will not alter Belize’s foreign policy, nor will they deter the Government from carrying out its responsibilities. The Government of Belize continues to stand fully behind Minister Fonseca.
U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said on Tuesday that the Trump administration “opposes coercion and aggression by China against countries in our hemisphere for exercising their sovereign rights.”
“We stand with our friends and partners, including Taiwan, to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values,” he said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry shot back that Pigott and other U.S. officials should “stop sending the wrong signals to Taiwan separatist forces.”
Taiwan also blasted China’s sanctions, with Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi calling them another example of Beijing’s “transnational repression.”
“Taiwan’s international visibility is growing higher and higher, and they will be kept busy by this fact. Do they plan to sanction the whole world?” Chen said.