Honduras’ Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that the country has decided to sever ties with Taiwan, announcing an almost expected move that comes on the heels of its decision to establish diplomatic relations with China.
The ministry said in a statement that Honduran President Chiomara Castro had given instructions to notify Taiwan of the decision to sever diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to the statement, the government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the government of China as “the only legitimate government representing the whole of China.”
“Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan to sever diplomatic relations, and has pledged not to have any official relations or contacts with Taiwan,” she said.
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and refuses to maintain official relations with any country that officially recognizes Taiwan diplomatically.
Establishing diplomatic ties with Beijing was an election promise made by Castro, who took office in January 2022. The Honduran president announced the move last week, largely motivated by economic reasons.
In the wake of Saturday’s news, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu announced that his country, in turn, had severed diplomatic ties with Honduras.
Taiwan will immediately end the cooperative projects and close its embassy in Tegucigalpa and some other offices involving, among other things, technology transfer, Wu said at a press conference in Taipei.
On Thursday, Taiwan recalled its ambassador to Honduras.
Wu also asked Honduras to close its embassy in Taipei immediately.
