Honduras will seek ties with China and move away from Taiwan

TEGUCIGALPA (AP) — Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced Tuesday that she would seek to establish diplomatic relations with China, which would involve a break with Taiwan. The change leaves Taiwan recognized by just 13 countries, as part of China’s $1 million investment to gain recognition for its “One China” vision.

The president stressed on her Twitter account that she had instructed Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina to begin negotiations and added that with this she sought to “freely expand the borders in the concert of nations of the world”.

Castro had assured during his campaign before the 2021 elections that if he won the presidency he would immediately open relations with the Asian giant, but his foreign minister qualified this position three months later.

In January 2022, Reina told The Associated Press that building relations with China was not a priority and that he would continue to strengthen his ties with Taiwan.

The official then added that the relations with Taiwan, as well as others that Honduras could have with other countries, were analyzed on the basis of the advantages for the Honduran people and that at that time he concluded that there was no reason to make any changes.

In Taipei, the Foreign Ministry said it had “expressed serious concerns to the Honduran government. Our country has told Honduras many times that Taiwan is a sincere and reliable partner of cooperation for our allies. Honduras is urged to consider it carefully and not fall into the trap of China or make wrong decisions that harm the long-term friendship between Taiwan and Honduras.”

The Foreign Ministry has summoned Honduran Ambassador Harold Burgos, according to Taiwanese media. Burgos told the press that he was waiting for orders from his government.

Beijing welcomed the Honduran statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wen told a daily press conference.

“The fact that 181 countries in the world have established diplomatic relations with China in accordance with the one-China principle fully demonstrates that establishing diplomatic relations with China is a correct decision in line with the general trend of historical developments and in the trend of the time. Wang said.

China claims Taiwan’s autonomy as part of its territory, which can be controlled by force if necessary, and rejects most contacts with countries that have formal ties with Taiwan. It also threatens countries with retaliation simply for increasing contact with Taiwanese authorities.

When Lithuania strengthened ties with Taipei in October 2021, China expelled the Lithuanian ambassador, downgraded diplomatic ties and blocked trade with the Baltic country of 2.7 million people. Since then, Lithuania has closed its embassy in Beijing and opened a trade office in Taiwan.

It is unclear what caused the Honduran government to change its mind. But China, which is building a huge dam in Honduras, often uses trade and investment as an incentive, which it has done successfully in Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua and, more recently, in South Pacific countries like the Solomon Islands.

Taiwan provides agricultural experts, vocational training programs and other forms of financial assistance to its declining formal diplomatic partners.

However, budget constraints imposed by a democratically elected legislature prevent it from spending heavily on sports stadiums, conference halls and government buildings as China does.

China’s multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative has also provided developing countries with ports, railways, power plants and other infrastructure financed by loans at market rates.

Losing Honduras would leave Taiwan with just 13 sovereign states with diplomatic relations, including the Vatican. In Latin America, it also maintains relations with Belize and Paraguay. Most of its other partners are poor small island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific.