Honduras formally established ties with China in March, becoming the latest country to cut ties with Taiwan.
Honduras has opened an embassy in Beijing, according to Chinese state media, months after the Central American country cut ties with Taiwan to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Enrique Reina participated in the inauguration of the embassy on Sunday morning, China’s official CCTV reported Sunday. It said Honduras has yet to determine the permanent location of the embassy and will expand its workforce.
Qin promised that China would establish a new model with Honduras of “friendly cooperation” between countries of different sizes and systems, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
The symbol of strengthening diplomatic ties between the two sides came during Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s six-day visit to China.
Ties with Taiwan severed
Honduras established formal relations with China in March, becoming the latest in a string of countries to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan. China regards self-governing Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary, and prohibits its own diplomatic partners from having formal ties with Taipei.
Castro arrived in Shanghai on Friday for her first visit since dating. During her time in Shanghai, she visited the headquarters of the New Development Bank, a bank founded by the BRICS countries, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Honduras requested admission to the bank, Castro’s office tweeted Saturday.
The president also visited a research center for tech giant Huawei before arriving in Beijing on Saturday evening, China’s official newspaper Global Times reported.
The ties formed in March were a diplomatic victory for China amid heightened tensions between Beijing and the United States, including over China’s growing assertiveness towards self-governing Taiwan. It also signaled China’s growing influence in Latin America.
China and Taiwan have been embroiled in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split in 1949 during the civil war, with Beijing spending billions to gain recognition for its “one China” policy.