Outgoing Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez yesterday said his visit to Taiwan was a sign of support from the Central American country at a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
“At this very moment amid tensions in the region, Honduras is here to demonstrate that we are real friends, and only real friendship can be seen at difficult times,” Hernandez said at a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office on the second day of his three-day visit to Taiwan.
“We hope to deepen such friendship and diplomatic ties either within or after my presidency,” he added.
Photo: The Presidential Office / AP
Tsai said Hernandez’s visit was the first by any of Taiwan’s allies from Latin America since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as it marked the 80th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, it was very meaningful.
The visit comes just months before Hernandez’s second presidential term ends, and before a potential shift in his country’s ties with Taiwan, as one of the leading candidates in the presidential election on Nov. 28 has vowed to switch recognition to China.
Xiomara Castro, the presidential candidate for the left-wing opposition Liberty and Refoundation Party, has vowed diplomatic relations with Beijing if elected.
Honduras did not voice support for Taiwan’s participation in the latest UN General Assembly in September, while most of Taiwan’s other allies did. It was the sixth consecutive year that it has refrained from doing so.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly said that Taiwan is closely watching the situation in Honduras.
Hernandez said he sincerely hoped his country and Taiwan would forge closer ties in economics, trade, education and technology development.
“Through Honduras, Taiwan will be able to enter the Latin American market,” Hernandez said. “Through Taiwan, Honduras will be able to gain access to the Asia market.”
Honduras is intensifying efforts to develop its infrastructure, aiming to transform the country into a global logistics hub, Hernandez said.
The country has already expanded the Puerto Cortes port, which is able to deliver cargo from the Pacific to the Atlantic in seven hours, Hernandez said, urging Taiwanese firms to invest in his country.
Echoing Hernandez, Tsai said that Taiwan and Honduras have already had close exchanges, referring to a Taiwanese agriculture technology team’s efforts to grow avocados and build a comprehensive production, marketing and procurement chain in the Central American country.
In addition to agricultural technology exchanges, bilateral trade between Taiwan and Honduras has been on the rise, Tsai said, adding that Honduras is the major supplier of whiteleg shrimps to Taiwan.
China’s strategy of isolating Taiwan diplomatically has left Taipei with only 15 formal allies.
Taiwan’s government has said that China would do everything possible to poach its diplomatic allies, although Beijing’s promises to win them over are often “colossal but empty.”
Additional reporting by Reuters and AFP
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