of when it comes to trafficking nigerian women for sex. so they're always saying the same thing about you get to go without having to painting it. obviously that's all in line m n a forms. yes. and then you succeed in restoring this young girls ability to treat it. it's something that really is price meant that gives me not to what i do. the trio combating, shooting dealings starts april 29th on d, w. ah, you're watching the w news asia coming up to day taiwan fights for friends and allies. taipei is rolling out the red carpet to keep its diplomatic ties intact. but elections a world away could see another country switch allegiance to beijing. and what happens when government officials fail to protect a major river from pollution in bangladesh?

it's the people who suffer. ah, my name is melissa chan. thanks for joining us. we take a closer look at taiwan, which defacto operates as an independent country, but is not diplomatically recognized by most other countries around the world. that makes its few diplomatic relations extra important, especially because beijing has been on overdrive to pick off tie ones allies one by one in recent years and get them to switch recognition in the attempt to isolate the island. this week guatemalan president alejandro jermanti visited taipei. he was received by taiwan presence high in when, with full military honors and a state banquet jama, take hold tight, not to worry,

and that his country would stand with taiwan. i mean, he's a renewal of a war, guatemala supports ty, one's diplomatic objectives, which are aggressively securing national sovereignty, and protecting the entirety of the territory level from promoting peace and taking part in international society as a sovereign country. like only our goal of the brazen china protested the guatemalan president's visit to taipei, of course. and beijing is watching another country in the central and south american region. paraguay. the country is holding elections in just a few days and the result could determine whether taiwan will lose yet another diplomatic ally. this would be a foreign policy set back, but there is also a human cost w's chat when yet reports. ah, pablo is one of the few tangible size of the friendship between ty,

one and paraguay. he stood a p h. d in asia pacific start east here in taipei. today, he's focused on what's happening at home. the opposition party in paraguay wanted to cut ties with taiwan and switch allegiance to china because i am in my 3rd year already in the major. so it's like a lot of time that i've invested here in a lot of effort. and i would not like to seattle because so far in the end up arm, paraguayan, taiwan on like can break in, there are diplomatic ice, most power lay of the students here receive a scholarship from the taiwanese government. if the opposition we use the election dear on 30 april and breaks ties with tie one, lay oh, may have to go back. i think that ah, me personally,

and most of our students we are or are afraid that we could go through the same path. duck understood, it was only last month that home doris changed size, officially recognizing china and cutting diplomatic relations with taiwan. that love to tie with just 13 sovereign states as official allies. none of these places have major global influence. if paraguay, oh, so switches to china, they will leave tie with only 12 diplomatic allies, laughed and not at all in south america. all waco is an expert in latin american studies from taiwan tongue come university. he said, the 65 year old diplomatic friendship with paraguay careful becton to economic considerations. why was it rather apparent?

weighs a major exporter of soybeans and beef that they've wanted to enter the chinese market for a long time. but the trade of agricultural products is very delicate and strict. and if you don't have diplomatic relations, no signed agreements on quarantine, he probably cannot export to mainland china. taiwan officials say lay will not try to compete with while a co, china's dollar diplomacy. lacey, they are confident, paraguay, well we men and elijah go away, go worse, fat tie one must not become numb to losing allies. that each loss no matter how small is important, won't get. i one says we are a sovereign, an independent country. but if no one recognizes you, you're just talking to yourself. people here in time, one should pay attention, says gone. he says, the more diplomatically isolated island becomes more vulnerable. lee will be to

aggression from china. joining us in the studio is data use, clifford conan, formerly based in aging, a clifford, it seems a bit crazy that events all the way across the pacific could impact ty, wine, and in turn regional security in the, in the pacific. well, it is a bit crazy, i think, you know, when you go to visit taiwan or you see these flags, you know, in front of the, of the foreign ministry in the presidential palace and there for places like as what you need to value. palau vatican city, these are some of the smallest countries in the world and clearly, you know, no disrespect to the countries obviously, but they're not a major geo political importance. so taiwan is clinging to these countries in some ways is quite surreal in a way. and it highlights, i think, just how fragile tie wants position is because it's being squeezed out of everything. internet every international arena by beijing,

which wants to reduce its influence as to as little as possible, excuse me. and, and, and so they're trying to isolate them on the global stage, but they're also in the united states at the same time is trying to shore up at security standing. so it's in a very difficult position. but do diplomatic relations actually matter? when you look at high ones economy, it's often it's usually in the top 20, it's 20 largest economies in the world, so it seems to be doing okay without. well, i think so. i think that's it. i mean, whatever. but the diplomatic ties, the thing is taiwanda most important partner is a country with which it doesn't have diplomatic ties, which is the united states as the irony. right. and so when it has that, it can basically, it gives it all it gives. it allows taiwan to punch above its ways and economically, as you pointed out, it's, it's, it's, it's a very rich country. it's supplying a huge amount of micro chips now, which makes it strategically important on

a global player on that something which is a of major irritation to beijing, which is struggling to keep up in the innovation sphere and in the technological sphere when it comes to microchips so i think it's, it's basically flourished under these american security guarantees and under america's protection. and i mean, chinese and game ultimately like what if we're in a situation where taiwan is left with one diplomatic ally or, or 0, what happens then? i think am, there's been a couple of theories about this. one is that we're going to start looking at something called jewel recognition, where countries can recognize both china and taiwan. and it's unlikely though, the china will go for that. i think what i, what i want is going to do now is start to try and focus more on international organizations on keeping its profile high without going the traditional route of diplomacy. the traditional diplomatic root is, is, is, is closed off. so it's,

it has to look at alternatives, and beijing has squeezed it out of things that the intern, the international impact committee. and it's not on the w. hey, joe, which we saw during the pandemic, that it's the fact that it wasn't in the world health organization was a problem. and taiwan reminded people of that. and i think what it's going to do is start looking to boost its reputation internationally and really am. but through less traditional channels, because ultimately that will, that will, that will help it maintain this because as we know, i mean, as we mentioned, the of the economy is strong and he has a lot to offer and, and it needs to keep its profile high because recent geopolitical events have obscene taiwan come under a lot of pressure. we had to visit by nancy pelosi, which saw the the island basically being an it was a patrol around the island. we have them and we've issues like possibly economic block blockades. so it really does need to keep its profile high in order. people don't forget that that taiwan is still there and that it needs assistance very

quickly. any predictions for the next country china might target after paraguay, and it's hard to say, i mean, i think that's what he needs, given that it's the last african stays, you know, it would sort of, maybe if there was pressure put, there could be some of the beijing seeks to try and close down, but i think beijing is just going to just keep focusing on all of them until it eventually isolates taiwan diplomatically. clifford can and thank you so much for joining us as always. ah, in bangladesh, untreated waste from the country's garment industry is destroying the capitals. bery ganga river banning these factories. waste disposal in 2 rivers has failed, and it is locals that are harmed, breathing toxic air and drinking toxic water. while moore's feast, often at this stretch of filth along the booty gone river. once an artery of life

cutting through the capital city, the river to day is considered a dead zone. ruined by unchecked industrial waste. a large section of dark us population still depends on the body gonna as a water source, but rampant garbage disposal and lack of water treatment. mean fishing is a thing of the past or in about 20 to 30 years back, the reverse water was good. i used to catch all different kinds of fish wrong. now it is polluted as factors discharge their waste into the river. there aren't any fish in the river to day on in london finding them. hm. off on it. many people put the blame on garment factories that lined the believe on the finally, she law required these factories to treat the waste before dumping. but the

government cannot always keep watch. and so these factories often flowed the laws. communities living on the river banks also see no option but to dump their refuse into the bullying. on this water bush, they drink colquitt bathe, and defeat in public water treatment facilities are non existent. that is not as single. ah, but wisdom being janie's available are provided by the cd corporation. so that is obviously what i need. a covenant is they are discharging their solid was to that her to this river. experts say the brigham, that's troubles are manmade and could be held if car got channels to waste to a nearby water treatment plant. but no such plans have been announced. that's it for wednesday. there's more stories from the region on our website, d, w dot com, forward slash asia,

and follow us on social media. i'm melissa chance. thanks for watching and we'll see you tomorrow. good bye. thank you. up to date, don't miss our highlights. the d w program online. d, w dot com highlights. will you become a criminal m, pre kline aol. already news with

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