Taiwan is set to rebuild relations with former ally Honduras and has been in contact with both the presidential candidates pandering to Taipei, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on Wednesday (Dec 3).
Salvador Nasralla, who on Tuesday won a razor-thin lead in Honduras’ presidential election, and his nearest rival, Nasry Asfura, have said they could resume diplomatic relations with Taiwan if elected. Ties with Taipei were broken by the government of outgoing President Xiomara Castro in 2023.
Speaking to reporters at parliament in Taipei, Lin said that with the vote counting still under, the government was watching the situation closely.
As for the two presidential candidates who are friendly towards Taiwan, we have maintained good interactions with both of them.” “We also look forward to Taiwan and Honduras being able, after this election, to establish diplomatic relations based on equality and mutual benefit,” he added.
Asked if that meant that ties can indeed be resumed, he said: “We have an open attitude, and we will engage actively with the president-elect to discuss the future of our bilateral diplomatic relations.” “We have continued to maintain communications with all the camps.”
Such a move would be the largest diplomatic blow to China in the region since 1990, when the Nicaraguan government of Violeta Chamorro re-established its own relations with Taipei.
On Tuesday in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the election was an internal matter for Honduras.
“Since China and Honduras established diplomatic relations in March 2023, bilateral relations have been growing fast, and co-operation in various fields has seen fruitful results and yielded tangible benefits for the people of both countries,” he said.
China says Taiwan is one of its provinces, which has no right to state-to-state ties, something the government in Taipei strongly rejects. Only 12 countries now have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
The election is being watched in Washington as well. US President Donald Trump, who has been backing Asfura, said Monday night it seemed that Honduras was “trying to change the results of their Presidential Election”.
