Paraguay's president-elect Fernando Lugo Tuesday said the government will push for establishing diplomatic ties with China, according to news reaching Buenos Aires from Asuncion, capital of Paraguay.

At his first press conference after winning the presidential election, Lugo said Paraguay is the only South American country without diplomatic relations with China despite their increasingly close economic links in recent years.

His government, which is scheduled to be sworn-in in August, cannot turn a deaf ear to the increasingly strong calls from both the Paraguayan parliament and society for the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, he said.

In the long term, setting up diplomatic ties with China is conducive to Paraguay's economic and social development, the president-elect said.

After swearing-in, his government will present the bill on establishing diplomatic ties with China to parliament for approval, he said.

Meanwhile, Lugo stressed his government will make its decision on the issue without any influence from the outside as Paraguay is an independent country which enjoys full sovereignty.

Born on May 30, 1949, Lugo won the Paraguayan presidential race Sunday as candidate for the Patriotic Alliance for Change, ending the Colorado party's 60-year rule.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2008)