NextSharkNextShark.com

Taiwan warns Honduras to ‘not quench your thirst with poison’ after allegiance switch to China

Taiwan warns Honduras to ‘not quench your thirst with poison’ after allegiance switch to China
honduras taiwan nextshark

On Tuesday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced that the Honduras government will sever ties with Taipei

March 16, 2023
SHARE
On Tuesday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced that the Honduras government will sever ties with Taipei and establish an official relationship with Beijing. 
Eduardo Enrique Reina, Honduras’ minister of foreign relations, said that they are “grateful” for their alliance with Taiwan, but their economic links to China have pushed their government to cut diplomatic ties with the island nation, according to The Associated Press
“It is a complex decision, we understand, but Honduras’ foreign policy should seek to benefit the people. We believe that this step will benefit the country,” Reina said.
The minister noted that the Central American country previously asked Taiwan to renegotiate its debt to the island and double its annual aid to $100 million. Honduras has reportedly been struggling to pay its international debts, including a $600 million debt owed to Taiwan. 
“Honduras’ needs are enormous, and we haven’t seen that answer from Taiwan,” Reina said, noting that the decision was about “pragmatism, not ideology.”
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

In response, Taiwan’s foreign ministry disagreed and claimed that Taiwan had been “actively” engaging in bilateral talks with the Honduras government.
“Our communication efforts with Honduras have never stopped. We urge Honduras, which is already suffering from debt problems, to not quench your thirst with poison and fall into China’s debt trap,” said the ministry in a statement.
On Wednesday, a state department spokesperson added: “The Honduran government should be aware that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) makes many promises that are unfulfilled.”
Wang Wenbin, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, said Honduras’ decision was “the right choice that accords with the trend of history and our times.” 
Over the past two decades, China has invested in Latin American countries through major infrastructure, energy and space projects.
In Honduras, the East Asian country invested $298 million in a hydroelectric dam in eastern Honduras inaugurated in January 2021.
With Honduras’ diplomatic switch, Taiwan is left with only 13 diplomatic allies that recognize it as a country, including Belize and Guatemala. 
China does not allow its diplomatic allies to recognize Taiwan as it regards the island as its territory. 
The government has vowed to seize the island one day to “re-unify” it with China, by force if necessary.
In recent years, China’s threats have intensified under President Xi Jinping, resulting in Taiwan’s constant fear of Beijing’s invasion.
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Michelle De Pacina

      Michelle De Pacina is a New York-based Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.