《TAIPEI TIMES》Paraguay thanks Taiwan for aiding its development

By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

Paraguayan Minister of Information and Communication Technologies Gustavo Villate thanked Taiwan for assisting the country in its development and said the South American nation is seeking collaboration in the semiconductor industry.

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Villate, who led a delegation to visit Taiwan from Sunday last week to Thursday, said that Paraguayan President Santiago Pena had asked him to thank the government and people of Taiwan for their long-term support of the South American nation’s development and to affirm the solid ties between the two sides.

The delegation was impressed by Taiwan’s political and economic achievements, scientific and technological strength, and education system during the visit, he said, adding that attending the Smart City Summit & Expo and the Net Zero City Expo was a fruitful experience.

The visit was to “learn first-hand about the semiconductor industry” in Taiwan and seek cooperation opportunities in the field, he said in a statement on Thursday.

It is part of Paraguay’s recent efforts to “move from a commodity economy to a much more technological and advanced economy,” it said.

The close relationship between Taiwan and Paraguay “allows us to establish links that we can explore and see if we really have a way to support Taiwan, because the first thing is to support Taiwan and the second is to see how that benefits us, too,” Villate was quoted as saying.

The South American ally boasts advantages in the production of renewable energy and water reserves, which are fundamental elements for chip manufacturing, the ministry said.

The delegation also met with Paraguayan students from Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University, whose commitment convinced Villate that the cooperation is a success.

Paraguay hopes to continue strengthening similar educational cooperation, he said.

“Education is a priority for President Santiago Pena. He tells us this every day, every time we have meetings,” Villate said.

On Wednesday, the delegation visited National Taiwan University of Science and Technology to discuss collaborations in technology, research and higher education, the ministry said in a separate statement.

“Paraguay and Taiwan maintain solid and fruitful diplomatic relations, and this visit further strengthens those ties of friendship and cooperation,” it said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES