Source: Republic of China Taiwan
July 13, 2025No. 240During his extensive trip to Paraguay, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung visited the Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park in Ciudad del Este on July 12. He was accompanied by Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, Minister of Industry and Commerce Javier Giménez García de Zúñiga, Minister of Information and Communication Technologies Gustavo Villate, Executive Secretary of the Office of the President Marianna Saldívar Gadea, Deputy Minister of Public Works Emiliano Fernández, Governor of Alto Paraná César Landy Torres, President of the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University Jorge Daniel Duarte Rolon, and other officials.
The technology park originates from a commitment made by President Lai Ching-te to assist Paraguay with economic development and job creation. Then Vice President Lai made the pledge in August 2023 while visiting Paraguay as a special envoy to attend the inauguration of President Santiago Peña Palacios.
When Minister Lin took office on May 20 last year, he held in-depth talks on the project—which would have a profound impact on Paraguay—with President Peña, who was visiting Taiwan to attend President Lai’s inauguration. The two agreed that Taiwan and Paraguay would work together to make Paraguay a South American base for the smart technology industry and talent incubation.
During his visit to the park, Minister Lin remarked that promotion of the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project in Paraguay followed a comprehensive plan led by a national team of businesses from Taiwan. He said that the project integrated civil engineering, private 5G network architecture, and smart applications. Minister Lin added that the initiative would not only create favorable conditions for Taiwanese enterprises investing in Paraguay, but that it would also bring substantial industrial development and employment opportunities to Paraguay. He noted that the process of building the park had been a team effort. Although there had been challenges along the way, Minister Lin said that the difficulties were a source of strength for today. He stated that the newly revitalized Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park would offer Taiwanese companies the same 006688 land rental incentive provided by special zones in Taiwan. (The 006688 plan offers free rent in years one and two, a 40 percent discount in years three and four, and a 20 percent discount in years five and six.) This is the first time that the preferential policy has been made available to Taiwanese enterprises overseas. Paraguay is also the first country outside Taiwan to apply the incentive. Minister Lin said that he had long advocated for the strategy of larger enterprises guiding smaller ones, combining soft and hard tactics, promoting public-private cooperation, and facilitating internal-external exchanges. He explained that the integration of various technological, financial, and human resources would help Taiwanese industries deploy investments in Paraguay. Minister Lin indicated that Paraguay’s stable economy, abundant and cheap supplies of water and electricity, and convenient business environment could make it a base for Taiwanese enterprises entering the South American market.
For the trip, Minister Lin extended special invitations to prominent manufacturers from all areas of the supply chain to join the delegation, tour the technology park, and explore business opportunities in Paraguay. The group included representatives from the semiconductor, AI applications, smart manufacturing, smart transportation, animal husbandry, cold chain logistics, and food processing industries. It is hoped that the companies will establish a presence in Paraguay as a joint fleet, joining forces in a new flying geese pattern of development and creating a Taiwan+n model of global industrial deployment. Taiwan will work together with Paraguay to create mutual prosperity and well-being, realizing President Lai’s policy vision of making Taiwan a global economic powerhouse.