The Government of Honduras made official in the last hours the rupture of the relations it had maintained with Taiwan since 1941, announcing that it will no longer have any official ties with Taipei.
In a statement, the Honduran Foreign Ministry states that it "recognizes the existence of only one China in the world and that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government". Thus, it adds, "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory".
📌| COMUNICADO: Honduras Anuncia Ruptura de Relaciones Diplomáticas con Taiwán pic.twitter.com/kaaBearpcM
— Cancillería Honduras (@CancilleriaHN) March 26, 2023
The Honduran government pledges to "never again have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan". The announcement comes eleven days after Honduran President Xiomara Castro ordered her Foreign Minister to establish diplomatic relations with China in order to fulfill part of her governmental plan.
He instruido al Canciller Eduardo Reina, para que gestione la apertura de relaciones oficiales con la República Popular China, como muestra de mi determinación para cumplir el Plan de Gobierno y expandir las fronteras con libertad en el concierto de las naciones del mundo.
— Xiomara Castro de Zelaya (@XiomaraCastroZ) March 14, 2023
To seal the agreement, the foreign ministers of Honduras, Eduardo Reina, and China, Qin Gang, signed a joint communiqué in Beijing that formalizes the ties between the two nations.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry regretted the end of more than eight decades of cooperation , pointing to the Honduran president as responsible for this decision.
With deep regret we announce the termination of diplomatic relations with Honduras. 82 years of friendship & cooperation bringing real benefit to the peoples were dismissed by the Castro government. Taiwan remains unbowed & continues to work as a force for good in the world.
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) March 26, 2023
Fifth Latin American country to abandon Taiwan
Honduras and Taiwan had a relationship of military, educational and economic cooperation since before the middle of the 20th century. Despite fierce pressure from China, Taiwan maintains diplomatic relations with a hundred countries, the United States being one of its most important allies.
However, some countries in the Americas have been moving closer to China in recent times. Honduras' severance of relations with Taiwan leaves only 13 countries with which Taipei maintains official diplomatic relations. In addition, it makes the Central American nation the ninth country - and fifth Latin American country - to break off relations with the island since 2016 in order to establish ties with China and bow to the demands of the communist regime.
Wang Wenbin: Persistir en UnaSolaChina es justicia intl, deseo común y tendencia ppl del mundo. Cualquier país tiene el derecho a decidir con quién desarrolla las relaciones diplomáticas. Esperamos q Honduras reconozca cuánto antes la tendencia intl y tome decisión correcta. pic.twitter.com/ORA7mFK5OP
— Chen Ping 陈平 (@ChenPingMFA) March 21, 2023
Honduras joined its neighbors Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, which in recent years have cut off relations with the island of Taiwan in favor of establishing connections with the People's Republic of China.
