Taiwan has announced that it has recalled its ambassador to Honduras to protest against the visit of the head of Honduran diplomacy to China.
“Honduras ignored more than 80 years of friendship between (Taiwan and Honduras) by sending its foreign minister to China, which seriously hurt the feelings of our government and our people,” the ministry said. Taiwanese Foreign Affairs in a statement.
“We have decided to immediately recall our ambassador to Honduras to express our deep dissatisfaction,” adds the text.
The announcement came following a visit to China by Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina to discuss establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing.
China claims the democratic and self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its territory which it intends to take back, including by force if necessary.
On March 14, the Central American country announced through its president, Xiomara Castro, that it was going to establish “official relations with the People’s Republic of China”.
In the name of the principle of “one China”, the communist power in Beijing does not accept diplomatic relations with both it and Taipei. Any recognition by a country of the People’s Republic of China leads de facto to the severance of ties between it and Taiwan.
If Honduras officially breaks with Taiwan, the island would only have 13 countries with which it maintains official diplomatic ties, having lost several Latin American allies in recent years.
The Honduran Foreign Minister traveled to China with Deputy Xiomara Zelaya, the daughter of President Castro, three government and diplomatic officials told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The minister went there (…) on the instruction of President Xiomara Castro,” President Rodolfo Pastor told the local daily “El Heraldo”.
He added that the Honduran delegation will be received by Qin Gang, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs.
China’s Foreign Ministry has not confirmed the visit, but on Thursday spokesman Wang Wenbin said China was “ready” to establish ties with Honduras.