Honduras President Xiomara Castro on Tuesday said she has instructed Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina to establish diplomatic relations with China.
"I have instructed Chancellor Eduardo Reina to manage the opening of official relations with the People's Republic of China, as a sign of my determination to comply with the Government Plan and expand the borders freely in concert with the nations of the world," Castro said in a tweet.
Establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing was a campaign promise made by Castro, who took office in January 2022.
The president did not initially specify whether Honduras would also severe relations with Taiwan, which is only recognized diplomatically by 14 countries worldwide, many of which are tiny Pacific nations, Caribbean islands and states in Central America.
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and opposes any form of official diplomatic contact between Taiwan and other countries.
Panama, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Nicaragua have recently broken with Taiwan and taken up diplomatic ties with China.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry on the other hand urged Honduras "not to fall into China's trap," adding the move would damage its long-standing friendship with Taiwan.
According to the ministry, Taiwan has repeatedly told Honduras that by establishing diplomatic ties with Tegucigalpa Beijing aims to reduce support for Taiwan among the international community rather than to improve things for the people of Honduras.
Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Tah-ray Yui summoned Honduras' ambassador to Taiwan Harold Burgos over the issue, who declined to respond to questions from reporters when arriving at the ministry in Taipei.
Taiwan's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it had asked Honduras not to "make the wrong decision" of establishing official ties with China, after the Honduran president said she had instructed her foreign minister to do so.
"We ask Honduras to carefully consider and do not fall into China's trap and make the wrong decision to damage the long-term friendship between Taiwan and Honduras," said a foreign ministry statement.
