Honduras opens embassy in China after breaking off ties with Taiwan

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Honduras has opened up a new embassy in China after cutting diplomatic relations with Taiwan earlier this year.

The inauguration of the Central American nation’s new embassy reportedly took place on Sunday.

China’s foreign minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Enrique Reina took part in the inauguration of the embassy on Sunday morning, China’s official CCTV said.

The symbol of Honduras and China’s strengthening diplomatic ties came during Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s six-day visit to China.

Honduras established formal relations with China in March, becoming the latest in a string of countries to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

China sees self-governed Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary, and prohibits its own diplomatic partners from having formal ties with Taipei.

Ms Castro arrived in Shanghai on Friday on her first visit since the establishment of relations.

During her stay in Shanghai, she visited the headquarters of the New Development Bank, a bank established by the BRICS nations, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Honduras requested admission to the bank, Ms Castro’s office tweeted Saturday.

The president also visited a research centre for technology giant Huawei before arriving in Beijing on Saturday night, China’s official Global Times newspaper reported.

The ties formed in March were a diplomatic victory for China amid heightened tensions between Beijing and the US, including over China’s increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan.

It also signalled China’s growing influence in Latin America.

China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its “one China” policy.

Additional reporting by agencies