The measures target Paraguay’s Minister of Communications, Gustavo Villate, and Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francis Fonseca. The sanctions include freezing their property and assets in China, denying them visas and banning them from trading with Chinese organizations.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the politicians “have taken a series of outrageous actions and made statements that harm China’s core interests.”
Taiwan officially has diplomatic relations with only a few countries, including Paraguay and Belize. China sees the island as part of its territory and has been accused of trying to isolate Taiwan.