Chinese influence in the country was the main reason that led Honduras to break ties with Taiwan, which denied it a million dollar loan.
The new administration of Castro Xiomara, which seeks to clean up the image of Honduras left by former President Juan Orlando Hernández when he was accused of drug-trafficking links, has made a drastic decision: it has broken relations with Taiwan, a recognized country. 1941. It is estimated that the pressure trial was brought to China, whose tension with the island is concentrated after the US bought thousands of dollars worth of weapons.
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It was announced this Saturday the eleventh day after President Castro indicated that he wanted to deepen his relations with China. Under the “One China” principle, Beijing does not allow any country to simultaneously maintain diplomatic relations with Taipei.
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“The Government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes that there is only one China in the world, and that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate Government representing all of China,” the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this Saturday. days later, Foreign Minister Enrique Reina travels to Beijing.
It was Reina himself who indicated that “at the behest of the President of the Republic of Taiwan, he shared a plan to break diplomatic relations between the two.” “Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and as of this time, the Honduran government has shared with Taiwan the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan again,” he added.
This week, Honduran Vice Minister Tony García confirmed that the Taiwanese government has asked for a US$2 billion loan to repay its foreign debt, as well as to finance a highly complex hospital. Days later, he received a negative response from the Taiwanese ambassador, Joseph Wu, who described Honduras as “asking a big price” to maintain diplomatic ties.
After the release was announced, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in which it said it “deeply regrets” and suggested that Honduras “beware of the dangers of the obligations assumed by China in the offering of diplomatic relations.”
Honduras and Taiwan have maintained a relationship of military, educational and economic cooperation for 82 years. The island financed agricultural and technical aid projects and also hosted hundreds of Honduran schools in their recipient universities.
