Paraguay ruling party candidate Santiago Pena, who has said he would maintain ties with Taiwan, won the country's presidential election Sunday, local media reported, at a time some Latin American nations have severed ties with the self-ruled island to gain access to the much larger Chinese market.
Pena, 44, of the right-wing Colorado Party, beat Efrain Alegre, 60, who had indicated he would cut ties with Taiwan and establish diplomatic relations with China, a potential market for Paraguay's beef and soybeans, the media said.
Paraguay is one of seven Latin American countries that have formal ties with Taiwan, an island that China views as its territory. Asuncion has received hefty financial assistance from Taipei over 66 years of diplomatic ties.
The candidates' views on Taiwan were a focus of the election after some Central and South American countries recently cut diplomatic ties with the democratic island and established them with China, with Honduras becoming the latest in March.
Pena's win consolidates the near dominance of the Colorado Party since 1989 and the likely continuation of diplomacy centered on strengthening ties with the United States.
There is mounting discontent among farmers in Paraguay who say the maintenance of ties with Taiwan is hindering their efforts to expand exports to China.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified with the Communist-governed mainland, by force if necessary.
Pena, a former finance minister, will assume office on Aug. 15 for a five-year term.
With 99.42 percent of the votes counted, Pena had secured 42.74 percent and Alegre, a former minister of public works and communications, 27.49 percent, according to the local election authority.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated Pena on his victory, saying in a statement, "Taiwan deeply admires the mature democratic qualities of the Paraguayan people and the successful completion of the general election."
"Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges with the new Paraguayan government, based on shared values such as democracy and freedom, to create the greatest benefit for people of the two sides," the ministry said.
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