The Chinese Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the results of the elections held in Guatemala, considering them as internal affairs of that nation, but stressed that establishing diplomatic ties with China is the right choice in these times.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently people from different sectors in Guatemala expressed in interviews their hope to soon implement diplomatic relations with Beijing.

For the Foreign Ministry, this indicates “that this is what best serves the fundamental interests” of that country and “what the Guatemalan people want”.

Beijing defends the principle of One China, which establishes that all the national territory, including Taiwan, is part of the same country with its central government in this capital.

Currently 182 nations in the world recognize this principle, but Guatemala is one of the few that still maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

The representative of the Movimiento Semilla party, Bernardo Arévalo, was the big winner during the second round of the presidential elections in Guatemala and will assume the highest office of the State on January 14 of next year.

jrr/jav/mem/idm