Honduras Opts For China Instead Of Taiwan
The President of Honduras – Xiomara Castro – recently instructed her foreign minister to open diplomatic ties with China, a move which will end the country’s existing relationship with Taiwan.
China does not allow countries to maintain relations with Taiwan if they recognise Beijing, and has been trying to deepen links with Taipei’s allies since 2016. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said it had expressed serious concern to the Honduran government, urging them not to fall into China’s trap.
In Central America, only Honduras, Belize and Guatemala recognise Taiwan after Nicaragua broke off diplomatic relations in 2021, and Taiwan has been reduced to just 13 formal diplomatic allies around the world.
Decades ago, Taiwan was a very appealing economic partner especially in Central America where it funded many infrastructure projects, but since China’s spectacular rise it just cannot compete with the latter’s political and financial dominance.
The old Republic of China (ROC) established Taiwan at the end of China’s civil war in 1949, when the People’s Republic of China (PRC) ousted them and the ROC administration and soldiers evacuated to the island. Beijing still views Taiwan as a part of China’s territory and not an independent state and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goals.
