Paraguay's president calls Taiwan's UN exclusion 'a stain' and demands full membership

Paraguay's President Santiago Peña has urged the United Nations to grant Taiwan full membership, telling the General Assembly that the island's continued exclusion from the world body is "a stain" on the international community.

Addressing delegates, Peña declared that his country "is not neutral" on the Taiwan Strait and pledged firm support for the self-ruled island, calling for its "full and meaningful participation" in the UN system.

Peña also warned that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait could prove far more damaging to global stability than a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, urging member states to take the threat seriously.