Beijing appears to be courting politicians in Guatemala, one of Taiwan's few remaining allies — a bad sign for Taipei's shrinking diplomatic circle.

• Several Guatemalan lawmakers have traveled to China in recent years for tech events and forums, with some trips reportedly paid for by the Chinese government or Huawei.
• Guatemala still recognizes Taiwan and is marking 92 years of ties, making the outreach a direct threat to that relationship.
• Lawmakers named include members of the Vamos party linked to former president Alejandro Giammattei, who was sanctioned by the US over corruption.
• One lawmaker confirmed a 2025 trip to Shanghai for a tech show covering AI, 5G and connected devices, but denied Huawei paid for it — the trip happened while Guatemala's congress was debating a cybersecurity bill.
• Washington is watching closely; Marco Rubio raised concerns about Huawei's push into Guatemala's key industries during a 2025 visit.

Outlook: Expect more Chinese courting of Guatemalan politicians as Beijing works to peel away Taiwan's last allies in Latin America.