Honduras’ foreign minister travels to China as ties with Taiwan near the end

Honduras’ foreign minister is traveling to China to “promote” the establishment of diplomatic ties, an official said, signaling the end of the country’s decade-long relationship with Taiwan is near.

At stake is China’s growing presence in Central America, once a solid source of support for Taiwan and where the United States is concerned about Beijing’s expanding influence in its own backyard.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro said on Twitter last week that her government would try to open relations with China.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eduardo Enrique Reina, on instructions from President Xiomara Castro, traveled to China on Wednesday to further efforts to establish diplomatic relations,” said Presidential Press Secretary Ivis Alvarado.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing welcomed the Honduran government’s positive attitude towards building relations and was willing to develop them “on the basis of equality and mutual respect.”

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it had summoned the Honduran ambassador to express his “strong dissatisfaction” with the trip which “seriously hurt the feelings of our government and our people”.

A source with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters that Reina and his delegation left Panama for Beijing, accompanied by Chinese officials. The source declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Source: Terra

Rose

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