Robert Besser
27 Mar 2023, 20:58 GMT+10
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras: In what could signal the end of his country's decades-long relations with Taiwan, Honduran foreign minister Eduardo Enrique Reina will travel to China to "promote" the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Last week on Twitter, Honduran President Xiomara Castro said her government aims to open relations with China.
"Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina, on instructions from President Xiomara Castro, travelled to China on March 22 to promote efforts for the establishment of diplomatic relations," said Presidential press secretary Ivis Alvarado.
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," said China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
In response, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry summoned Hondura's ambassador to express its "strong dissatisfaction" at the visit, which "seriously harmed the feelings of our government and people."
Reuters reported that Reina and his delegation left for Beijing from Panama, accompanied by Chinese officials.
After the visit, Taiwan will only have diplomatic relations with 13 countries.
Meanwhile, Honduras denied allegations that before announcing it would open relations with China, it demanded $2.5 billion in aid from Taiwan, instead claiming that it had repeatedly asked Taipei to purchase Honduran public debt.
The remarks about Honduras making demands prior to its China announcement were "absolutely preposterous and groundless," Chinese Foreign Ministry's Wang said.
This week, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said, "The situation with Honduras was not very good. The other side demanded a high price."
"The marks of Chinese involvement are very obvious," he added.
Get a daily dose of Miami Mirror news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Miami Mirror.
More InformationCHEYENNE, Wyoming: This week, the Biden administration raised US$3.4 million from a sale of oil and gas drilling rights in ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks extended their rally on Friday despite remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell ...
MOSCOW, Russia: Russia's trade in oil with India, one of the most lucrative oil trade routes since the imposition of ...
LONDON - Health experts and tobacco campaigners have strongly criticized New Zealand's decision to repeal laws that aimed to ban ...
NEW YORK, New York - The Dow Jones index was the standout on U.S. financial markets on Thursday with a ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Despite the ongoing economic uncertainty, major discounts during the Thanksgiving weekend enticed U.S. shoppers, who spent some US$38 ...
CHISINAU, Moldova: Over the weekend, heavy snowfall and strong blizzards in Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria left one person dead and ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: After a House Ethics Committee report found substantial evidence that he broke the law, New York Republican representative ...
In a report by The New York Times, it has been revealed that Israeli officials had obtained a detailed battle ...
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar: Kyar Win, spokesperson for the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which launched a surprise offensive last month against ...
While Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has been frantically shuttling around the Middle East trying to stop the Israeli coflict ...
LESBOS, Greece: Greek authorities said a cargo ship sank off the island of Lesbos over the weekend during a storm, ...