Kaine & Rubio Statement on Nicaraguan Regime’s Move to Expel Taiwan & Admit China as Permanent Observer of the Central American Parliament

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, released the following statement after the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) approved a proposal to expel Taiwan’s parliament and admit China’s rubber-stamp parliament as a permanent observer of the organization. PARLACEN has six member countries (Guatemala, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua) with the mission of strengthening democratic governance, peace, and integration in the region.

“Since 1999, Taiwan has served as a strong partner in its role as a permanent observer of the Central American Parliament, encouraging good governance and economic development in our Hemisphere, while China’s regime has consistently undermined democracy, hindered sustainable growth in the region, and subjected Uyghurs in Xinjiang to state-sponsored genocide, torture, rape and arbitrary detention. As leaders of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee overseeing the Western Hemisphere, we condemn this vote to expel Taiwan and admit China.”

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