Photo: Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang shake hands following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, at a ceremony in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Photo credit: Greg Baker/AP
27 March 2023
On 26 March 2023, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang held talks with Foreign Minister of Honduras Eduardo Reina in Beijing, and they signed the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras. The main points of the communiqué are as follows:
The People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras, in keeping with the interests and desire of the two peoples, have decided to recognize each other and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communiqué.
The two Governments agree to develop friendly relations between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.
The Government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes that there is but one China in the world, the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal Government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.
The Government of the Republic of Honduras shall sever “diplomatic relations” with Taiwan as of this day and undertakes that it shall no longer develop any official relations or official exchanges with Taiwan. The Government of the People’s Republic of China appreciates this position of the Government of the Republic of Honduras.
The Honduran Foreign Ministry said Sunday that it recognized that there is only one China, with Beijing the sole legitimate government representing it. “Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and as of this date, the Honduran Government has informed Taiwan about the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan again,” the statement read.
The establishment of Honduras Diplomatic Ties with Beijing, leaves Taiwan with just 13 diplomatic partners. Taiwan will close its embassy and consulate in Honduras, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said at a news conference in Taipei on Sunday, and has withdrawn its ambassador from the country and will bring back all technical staff who aided development there. Mr. Wu said Taiwan is requesting that Honduras do the same. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it is working to bring back Taiwanese military personnel based in Honduras and send back some 30 Honduran military students studying in Taiwan.
Mr. Wu said that Beijing had never stopped trying to induce Tegucigalpa to change its diplomatic recognition. As a result, he said, Honduras had asked Taipei for several billion dollar in economic aid and weighed competing aid packages from Beijing and Taipei.
“We call on all countries to see clearly that China’s aid is in essence ‘saying one thing and doing another,’” Mr. Wu said, vowing not to bow to Beijing’s pressure.
In a video address released Sunday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan “won’t play the pointless diplomatic money game with China,” and that threats from Beijing won’t undermine the will of the Taiwanese people to maintain democracy and freedom.
A spokesman for the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy in Taipei, said, “While Honduras’s action is a sovereign decision, it is important to note the PRC often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic recognition that ultimately remain unfulfilled,” referring to the formal name of the government in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China. He added, “We strongly encourage all countries to expand engagement with Taiwan.”
Honduran President Xiomara Castro said on March 15 that her nation would move to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing, ending its decadeslong relations with the island democracy now based in Taipei.
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