Official: Honduras will maintain its relations with Taiwan

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Honduras will continue strengthening ties with Taiwan and establishing a diplomatic relationship with China is not a priority for Honduran President Xiomara Castro, the country’s new foreign affairs minister said Monday.

Eduardo Enrique Reina said maintaining relationships with Honduras’ historical partners is important. The message from Reina at a news conference Monday runs counter to some comments by Castro, who has spoken of establishing a relationship with mainland China.

Honduras is one of the few remaining Central American allies of Taiwan. China has moved to isolate Taiwan and most recently Nicaragua swapped Taiwan for China, even turning over Taiwan’s embassy.

Reina said the issue had been under evaluation during the transition period after Castro won election in November. He said Castro’s team weighed the benefit that Honduras had received from a good relationship with Taiwan and decided that for now there was no reason to look for alternatives.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. Taiwan’s vice president attended Castro’s inauguration.

China has been poaching Taiwan’s diplomatic allies over the past few years, reducing the number of countries that recognize the democratic island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy.