The South American country of Paraguay has revoked the visa of a low-ranking Chinese diplomat and ordered him to leave the country, the country's foreign ministry said on Thursday, accusing him of trying to persuade lawmakers to reconsider friendly relations with Taiwan, Reuters reported.

The Foreign Ministry has accused Chinese diplomat Xu Wei of interfering in internal affairs. On the other hand, the Taiwanese embassy in Paraguay has accused him of trying to weaken China-Taiwan relations by infiltrating Paraguay.

The ministry did not provide details about Xu Wei's interference, but it said he violated his visa conditions by coming to Paraguay with a Chinese delegation to a UNESCO meeting. He was given 24 hours to leave the country.

Juan Bayardi, Deputy Minister of Administrative and Technical Affairs at the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Chinese envoy came with another agenda. He came to engage in internal politics that was not appropriate.

Reuters has obtained a recorded speech by Xu Wei to Paraguay's Congress, in which he called for diplomatic relations with China instead of Taiwan, Reuters reported.

Xu Wei said, establishing diplomatic relations with China will increase income, reduce expenses, and thus increase savings. The purpose of my visit is to fill a huge blank space on the map of Paraguay. That blank space is the People's Republic of China.

He also said that there is no opportunity to choose between China and Taiwan.

China's Foreign Ministry has not commented on the matter.

Paraguay is a long-standing diplomatic ally of Taiwan, which has led to restrictions on grain exports from the country to China. Paraguay is the only South American country that maintains formal relations with Taiwan.

China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory. Taipei, on the other hand, rejects Beijing's claims of sovereignty, insisting that only the people have the right to determine the island's future.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, currently on a visit to another ally, Palau, praised the Paraguayan government and people for their firm stance on democracy, saying that China's threats and incitement are nothing new.