The government yesterday recalled its ambassador to Honduras after the Central American nation sent its foreign minister to China, signaling that it would sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Suspicions concerning ties with Honduras are rife after Honduran President Xiomara Castro on Tuesday last week wrote on Twitter that her country would pursue diplomatic ties with China.
Honduran Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduardo Enrique Reina traveled to China on Wednesday “to promote efforts for the establishment of diplomatic relations” on instructions from Castro, Reuters yesterday quoted Honduran presidential spokesman Ivis Alvarado as saying.
Photo: AFP
The government “has decided to immediately recall the ambassador to Honduras to express our strong dissatisfaction,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Sending its foreign minister to China to discuss the establishment of diplomatic ties “seriously hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese government and people,” the ministry said.
The Honduran government is disregarding the friendship with Taiwan that has lasted for more than 80 years, and it is ignoring Taiwan’s long-term assistance and goodwill in helping solve the country’s problems, it added.
Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Jan Jyh-horng (詹志宏) said that he “really has no comment” on China allegedly spending 10 billion to 20 billion yuan (US$1.46 billion to US$2.95 billion) to establish diplomatic relations considering its dire financial situation.
Honduras reportedly demanded US$2.5 billion in aid from Taiwan prior to the announcement, which Reina denied, saying that it was “not a donation,” but rather a “negotiated refinancing mechanism,” Reuters reported on Wednesday.
Communication between Taiwan and Honduras has been documented and the facts would eventually come to light, the ministry said.
The ministry has been communicating with Honduras since the announcement, which has “proven difficult,” it said.
“Honduras has asked Taiwan for large amounts of money,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) told reporters at the legislature in Taipei yesterday, without confirming the exact figure.
The request came in the absence of a concrete plan for Taiwan to help Honduras, and the amount was beyond what Taiwan could do, he said.
Taiwan would not engage in “dollar diplomacy” with China, he said, adding that “the situation is dire.”
“China is clearly involved” in Honduras’ move to switch ties to Beijing, he said, adding that the ministry and Taiwan’s embassy in Honduras would “strive until the last moment.”
Honduras’ move came ahead of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) planned trip to Central America beginning on Wednesday next week.
Beijing “welcomes Honduras’ positive stance on developing relations with China,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) said yesterday.
Asked whether China was supporting Honduras to request extortionate aid from Taiwan, he said that the allegation was “very absurd and out of thin air.”
While China continues to suppress Taiwan in the international community, Taiwanese should work even harder to nurture friendship and seek opportunities globally, Wu said.
In the face of complex challenges, the ministry would uphold the spirit of tenacity, flexibility and professionalism to promote “practical diplomacy,” he said.
Additional reporting by CNA and Reuters
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS