China sanctions friendly ministers who support Taiwan; US State Department slams Beijing for "coercion and aggression"

U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott expressed opposition on behalf of the United States to China's sanctions on officials from Paraguay and Belize, Taiwan's allies, and condemned Beijing's "coercion and aggression" against countries that exercise sovereign rights.

After China announced sanctions on the ministers of Paraguay and Belize, Taiwan's allies, the U.S. State Department publicly condemned Beijing, criticized China's "coercion and aggression" against countries that exercise sovereign rights in the Americas, and made it clear that it supports its allies and partners, including Taiwan. The United States links China's sanctions with national sovereignty and regional security, and opposes Beijing's interference in other countries' diplomatic choices.

According to "Reuters", U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said that the Trump administration opposes China's use of "coercion and aggression" against countries that exercise sovereign rights in the Americas. He also quoted Secretary of State Rubio's previous remarks, stressing that the United States will not allow rivals, competitors, and adversaries to turn the American region into a base of operations that threatens U.S. security or undermines U.S. partnerships.

Piggott emphasized that the United States stands with its friends and partners, including Taiwan, to jointly promote prosperity, security and value.

On the 12th, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced sanctions on Paraguay’s Minister of Information, Communications and Technology, Gustavo Villate, and Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Francis Fonseca, accusing them of harming China’s core interests. Sanctions include freezing the movable, real estate and other properties of the two people in China, prohibiting organizations and individuals in China from trading or cooperating with the two people, and banning the two people from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

Paraguay and Belize currently maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. When Paraguayan President Santiago Peña visited Taiwan in May this year, the two sides signed a cooperation agreement covering the fields of information security and high-tech. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Jialong also led a delegation to visit Belize in late September to promote bilateral economic, trade and diplomatic training cooperation.

So far, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not made any further response to the U.S. State Department’s harsh accusations.