President Joe Biden's special envoy will be visiting Honduras after the former Taiwan ally recently announced to cut ties amid financial troubles.
What Happened: The U.S. State Department announced that the Special Presidential Advisor (SPA) for the Americas, Christopher J. Dodd, will travel to Panama and Honduras Mar. 17-21.
Dodd will be meeting government officials and private sector representatives in Honduras after Taiwan‘s longtime ally in Central America decided to switch diplomatic camps to Xi Jinping.
"These visits advance the commitment of the United States to foster inclusive economic growth, democracy, human rights, and rule of law in the Western Hemisphere," the state department said.
See Also: Xi Jinping Undecided On Taiwan Invasion But Ambitions Can’t Be Underestimated: CIA Chief
Honduras on Wednesday said the diplomatic switch to China was motivated by economic interests rather than ideology. Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina told Canal 5 television channel that the country was riddled with rising debt and needed more investments.
Meanwhile, Taipei warned Tegucigalpa not to be tempted by the “poison” of aid from China, no matter how indebted it was.
“We remind the Honduran government that it should not quench its thirst with poison, even if fully parched by debt obligations,” the Taiwan ministry said, reported Reuters.
Washington also alerted Honduras that China makes many unfulfilled promises. A State Department spokesperson said, “The Honduran Government should be aware that the PRC (People's Republic of China) makes many promises that are unfulfilled.”
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