Taiwan does not need to rush if Honduras wishes to restore formal diplomatic relations, an expert said today, as the Central American nation looked poised to elect a candidate who promised to restore ties that were severed two years ago.
Nasry Asfura, the conservative National Party candidate, and his Liberal Party rival, Salvador Nasralla, were practically tied in the latest vote count yesterday, with both holding just under 40 percent of the nearly 1.9 million votes counted.
Asfura was leading by just 515 votes.
Photo: Reuters
They both have said they may resume diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which were severed in 2023.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro established diplomatic relations with Beijing in 2023, saying that the change would bring trade and financial opportunities to the Central American nation of 11 million.
Castro’s ally, Rixi Moncada of the ruling LIBRE party, was well behind in third with 19 percent of the vote.
Even if the incoming Honduran administration expresses willingness to restore ties, “Taiwan does not need to rush, and it will not rush,” Tunghai University Cross-Strait Research Center deputy executive director Hung Pu-chao (洪浦釗) said.
International politics hinges on reciprocity and stability, he said, adding that Taiwan does not have to acquiesce simply because a country wants to resume ties.
Taiwan has to consider the feelings of other diplomatic allies and the nation’s international image, he said.
The government should not create an impression that “diplomatic relations with Taiwan can be flipped on and off at will,” he said, adding that it has to show confidence and the strength of its values as a middle power.
Taiwan has long moved beyond its obsession with its number of allies, Hung said.
The nation’s international presence today rests on its economic strength, democratic resilience, technological prowess and strategic value in the Indo-Pacific region, not on its count of formal diplomatic partners, he said.
If Honduras seeks to re-establish ties in the future, Hung suggested that Taipei evaluate the request based on three key criteria.
First, it should assess Honduras’ policy direction and institutional commitments, rather than pre-election rhetoric, he said.
Second, the government should ensure the move would not undermine the trust of existing allies, he said.
Third, it should consider whether restoring relations would genuinely serve Taiwan’s interests, rather than being merely a symbolic show, he said.
Meanwhile, asked today if Taiwan would consider restoring ties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said that the ministry maintained "an open attitude" and would "set no preconditions" to engaging in friendly exchanges with Honduras.
"We take every opportunity for exchanges seriously as long as doing so can expand Taiwan's international status and could help Taiwan better contribute to the international community," Hsiao told a regular ministry briefing.
Castro's recognition of the People’s Republic of China came after Beijing promised large-scale investment to Honduras, but the false promises were never realized, he said.
Since then, the country has seen a sharp decline in its whiteleg shrimp farming industry, which led to a serious unemployment problem, he said.
The case of Honduras shows once again that allies should think twice about establishing ties with China given Beijing's repeated broken promises, he added.
Additional reporting by agencies
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