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Officials in Paraguay have expelled a top Chinese diplomat after he allegedly pushed Paraguayan lawmakers to sever ties with Taiwan in favor of recognizing China.

Something you should know before you read: Countries that have relations with China are pushed by Chinese officials to maintain adherence to One China Policies, which dictates that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory and that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legitimate government. China enforces this policy vigorously, often leveraging economic incentives such as trade agreements, infrastructure investments, and access to its vast markets to persuade countries to comply. This approach has led many nations, particularly in Latin America and Africa, to cut ties with Taiwan, further isolating the self-governing island on the global stage.

What’s going on now: Paraguayan officials announced the expulsion of Chinese envoy Xu Wei, accusing him of attempting to interfere in the nation’s domestic politics by advocating for a diplomatic shift from Taiwan to China. Xu, who was in Paraguay for a UNESCO conference, skipped the event and instead met with lawmakers in Asunción, where he urged them to sever ties with Taiwan and recognize Beijing, claiming it would bring substantial economic advantages. His remarks, including the assertion that Paraguay must choose “either China or Taiwan,” provoked quick action from the Paraguayan government, which revoked his visa, declared him persona non grata, and gave him 24 hours to leave the country.

What China is saying: In response to Paraguay’s move, Chinese Foreign Ministery spokesman Lin Jian called the accusations from Paraguay “unreasonable and groundless.” Full statement: Paraguay “made unfounded and unjustified accusation and demand against a relevant member of the Chinese delegation. This is seriously inconsistent with international practice. China is firmly opposed to it. Let me stress that there is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The one-China principle is what has been affirmed in Resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly and is a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus among the international community. It is right and just to defend and uphold the one-China principle, no matter where we are. There’s no so-called “interference in internal affairs.”

This all comes as Paraguay remains one of the few nations in the world, and the only one in South America, to uphold formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a relationship that dates back to 1957. Taiwan denounced his actions, accusing him of attempting to weaken the strong bilateral friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan. The Taiwanese embassy labeled Xu an “infiltrator,” emphasizing Taiwan’s ongoing commitment to its Paraguayan allies despite growing pressure from China.