China’s Foreign Ministry announced countermeasures on Tuesday morning against two officials from countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Issuing two separate ministerial orders in quick succession, Beijing targeted Paraguay’s Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Gustavo Emigdio Villate Samaniego, and Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Francis Fonseca.
The measures imposed on both men are identical and consist of three parts. First, all movable property, real estate and other assets they hold inside China will be frozen. Second, organizations and individuals within China are prohibited from carrying out transactions, cooperation or other activities with them. Third, neither will be issued visas or permitted to enter China, a ban that extends to Hong Kong and Macao.
The two orders, published on the ministry’s official website, give the same justification. They accuse certain “anti-China politicians” in Paraguay and Belize of stubbornly supporting their countries’ official diplomatic ties with Taiwan out of self-interest. According to the ministry, these individuals have taken a series of harmful actions and made damaging statements on China-related issues, undermining Beijing’s core interests.
The ministry said the countermeasures were adopted to safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests and to oppose Taiwan independence separatist activities. They were imposed under China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law and took effect immediately upon announcement.
Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies have periodically drawn scrutiny from Beijing, which claims the self-governed island as part of its territory and opposes any official international recognition of it.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), October 12, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202610120065.aspx