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
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