Taiwan Recalls Ambassador To Honduras As Foreign Minister Heads To China: 'Damaged…Feelings Of Our Government And People'

Taiwan, on Thursday, recalled its ambassador to Honduras after Tegucigalpa’s foreign minister announced a planned visit to China.

What Happened: Taipei said, “Honduras ignored more than 80 years of friendship between (Taiwan and Honduras) when they sent their foreign minister to China, which has seriously damaged the feelings of our government and people.”

“We have decided to immediately recall our ambassador in Honduras to express our strong dissatisfaction.”

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Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina announced that he was heading to China to hold talks on the establishment of diplomatic relations with Beijing after Xiomara Castro last week said it was parting ways with Taipei. 

Taiwan and U.S. reiterated many warnings for Honduras after its decision to switch diplomatic camps to Xi Jinping and corner its long-time ally Taiwan. President Joe Biden also sent his special envoy to the Central American nation, but it said that the diplomatic switch to China was motivated by economic interests rather than ideology.

The Honduran Foreign Minister, earlier, said the country was riddled with rising debt and needed more investments. Reina said the country had asked Taiwan to double the $50 million in assistance it receives each year and consider “realigning” the country’s $600 million debt to the island. However, it did not receive a positive response from Taipei.

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