China Gets Another Ally Against Taiwan As Honduras President Announces Switch On Twitter

RTR38K97 — A woman and a man walk past a giant Honduran flag in Tegucigalpa Sept. 28, 2012. Reuters

KEY POINTS

Honduras' president instructed the country's foreign minister to establish official relations with China
President Xiomara Castro floated the idea of severing ties with Taiwan during her campaign
Taiwan urged Honduras not to fall into China's trap

Honduras is taking steps to begin official diplomatic relations with China, a move that would effectively end the Central American country's official relationship with Taiwan.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced via her Twitter account Tuesday that she instructed Honduran Foreign Affairs Minister Eduardo Reina to start discussions with China.

In the tweet, Castro said the decision was "a sign of my determination to comply with the government plan and expand borders freely in concert with the nations of the world."

Castro previously raised the idea of cutting ties with Taiwan and establishing relations with China during her electoral campaign. But she later backtracked and told Reuters in January 2022 she hoped to maintain ties with Taiwan.

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

In an interview with a Honduran TV station, Reina argued that their country is looking at things "very pragmatically" and seeking the "best benefit for the Honduran people" by establishing relations with China.

However, opposition Honduran lawmaker Tomas Zambrano told local media that the decision to side with China could create tensions with the U.S., the country's top trade partner. The U.S. has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its most important international backer and arms supplier.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry expressed concerns about Honduras' plan to seek diplomatic ties with China, urging the Central American country to avoid falling into China's trap.

An unnamed source familiar with the situation in Taiwan told Reuters that the self-ruled island needs to use "every possible means" to maintain its diplomatic ties with Honduras.

In the event Honduras ends its official ties with Taiwan, the island would be left with formal diplomatic ties with only 13 countries, primarily small nations in the Pacific and Latin America, amid its growing tensions with China.

The last country to cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan was Nicaragua.

In 2021, Nicaragua switched allegiance to China and recognized Beijing's one-China policy.

"The government of the Republic of Nicaragua today breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan and ceases to have any contact or official relationship," the Nicaraguan foreign ministry said.

China praised Nicaragua's decision and said its one-China principle was "widely accepted by the international community."

Countries such as El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Panama also switched to China in previous years due to Beijing's pressure campaign, leaving Taiwan with a smaller group of international allies.

Despite this, Taiwan remains defiant and continues to prepare for a "total blockade" by China.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said its budget for this year would include replenishment of artillery and rocket stocks as well as parts for F-16 jets.

The Taiwanese defense ministry assessed that China was "adopting an actual war approach" and increased the strength of its "joint combat readiness" actions around the island.