The government of Honduras has announced the severing of diplomatic ties with Taiwan and the establishment of official relations with China. In a statement released by the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, it was declared that “the government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of one China in the world and that the government of the People’s Republic of China represents China as a whole.” The statement went on to declare that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.”
Honduras had been one of just 14 countries that recognized Taiwan over China, and the move marks a significant victory for Beijing’s campaign to isolate Taiwan. Following Honduras’ announcement, Taiwan confirmed that diplomatic ties had been formally cut. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu stated that “to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, we have decided to immediately cease diplomatic relations with Honduras and suspend all bilateral cooperation plans.”