President Xiomara Castro, Honduras. Photo: Twitter/@Super_Said.
Xiomara Castro suggested cutting ties with Taiwan and starting relations with China during her electoral campaign.
On Tuesday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced that her country will officially resume diplomatic ties with China.
“Foreign Affairs Minister Eduardo Reina will manage the reopening of bilateral relations,” Castro tweeted. The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry welcomed her statement, stressing that it would develop “friendly and cooperative relations” with the Castro administration.
Diplomatic ties between China and Honduras deteriorated after former Honduran authorities recognized Taiwan island as a state in 1985. Located southwest of mainland China, this island has maintained a political system independent from China since the end of the 1949 civil war.
Beijing does not recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, which refuses to establish relations with countries close to the Chinese government. “The Castro administration should be careful not to fall into China’s trap and make a wrong decision that would damage the long friendship between Taiwan and Honduras,” the Taiwanese Foreign Affairs Ministry stated.
"We welcome the relevant statement by the Honduran side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in response to the inquiry about the details of #Honduras' decision to establish diplomatic ties with China, on March 15. pic.twitter.com/eMHR9sZ4K3
— Zhang Meifang (@CGMeifangZhang) March 15, 2023
“Over the years, our countries’ authorities have jointly promoted cooperation projects, which Hondurans have welcomed,” this Ministry recalled, stressing that it will deepen communication with the Castro administration.
Central American countries with governments allied to the U.S. had historically maintained ties with Taiwan, which has lost eight diplomatic allies since 2016.
Left-wing politician Castro suggested cutting ties with Taiwan and starting relations with China during her electoral campaign. If Honduras finally breaks off its relations with Taiwan, it would leave Taipei with formal diplomatic ties with only 13 countries.
