TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部), on Sunday (Aug. 18), reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the political situation in Honduras and maintaining open, honest relations with all countries. This statement follows recent developments in Honduras' political landscape and potential shifts in diplomatic ties.
Former Vice President of Honduras Salvador Nasralla recently expressed his intent to restore diplomatic relations with Taiwan if he wins next year's presidential election. He criticized the unequal trade relations with China, highlighting that Honduras exports US$120 million to Taiwan but only US$11 million to China while importing over US$200 million from China.
Despite Nasralla's intentions, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying (華春瑩) recently visited Honduras and received a warm welcome from President Xiomara Castro.
Taiwan and Honduras severed diplomatic ties in March 2023, and a free trade agreement between China and Honduras has yet to be reached. Nasralla criticized Castro as a "liar" and accused China of attempting to "colonize" and "exploit" the Honduran people.
Vincent Chao (趙怡翔), a Taipei City Councilor from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), sees this as an opportunity Taiwan should seize if the opposition in Honduras seeks to restore relations.
Li Da-jung (李大中), a professor at Tamkang University's Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, believes it is still early in the process, but Nasralla appears to be positioning himself for a presidential run.