China sanctions Paraguay, Belize ministers over Taiwan ties

The sanctions include barring entry visas to Hong Kong and Macau, and prohibiting Chinese organizations and individuals from engaging in transactions, cooperation, or other activities with the sanctioned officials. China views Taiwan as its territory, a claim that the government in Taipei strongly rejects.

The sanctioned officials are Gustavo Emigdio Villate Samaniego, Paraguay's minister of communications and technology, and Francis Fonseca, Belize's minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade, education, culture, science, and technology. Both officials were cited for their personal interests in stubbornly supporting their countries' "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan and for taking a series of actions and making statements that harmed China's core interests.