China imposed sanctions on officials from Paraguay and Belize over their support for Taiwan, the first time Beijing has used such moves against diplomatic partners of the self-ruled island.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the measures on Monday against Paraguay’s information technology minister, Gustavo Villate, and William Fonseca, Belize’s foreign affairs and trade minister.
The officials “stubbornly supported” their nations in maintaining official ties with Taiwan, and harmed Beijing’s core interests by “engaging in a series of egregious words and actions on China-related issues,” the ministry said in statements posted on its website.
In likely symbolic moves, the Foreign Ministry statement said the government would freeze any assets held by the two officials in the country and prohibit Chinese organizations and individuals from engaging with them. They will also be prohibited from entering the country, including Hong Kong and Macau.
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While Beijing has previously imposed sanctions on foreign officials and politicians for cultivating ties with Taiwanese people it considered separatists, this is the first time that China has targeted officials of Taiwan’s allies.
In March, China placed sanctions on Japanese politician Keiji Furuya because he “went to Taiwan many times and colluded with the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.” Then in June it imposed its first travel bans on New Zealand lawmakers after they visited Taiwan.
The latest moves come as Taiwan tries to boost relations with its few remaining diplomatic allies, including Paraguay and Belize, through expanded economic cooperation and high-level exchanges.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña visited Taipei in May, when the two sides signed deals on cybersecurity, judicial cooperation and AI infrastructure. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung also visited Belize in late September, leading a business delegation to explore investment opportunities and signing agreements on diplomatic training.
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The engagements demonstrate Taipei’s efforts to counter Beijing’s campaign to isolate Taipei internationally. Taiwan has just 12 formal diplomatic allies, seven in Latin America and the Caribbean. Those partners play an important role in advocating for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
China opposes official exchanges between Taipei and countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing. China views Taiwan as part of its territory, a claim the government in Taipei rejects, asserting the island is already a de facto independent nation.