00:00To Honduras, where Foreign Minister has stated that the campaign promise made by current President Asfura
00:05to serve ties with China and restore relations with Taiwan has been overtaken by reality
00:12and will not be the path this government takes.
00:15Reporting from Honduras, here is Gerardo Torres Zelaya.
00:21President Xiomara Castro established diplomatic relations between Honduras and China on March 26, 2023
00:28in a historic political move.
00:30The National Party's campaign pledge was to end that relationship and return to exclusive ties with Taiwan.
00:37However, Foreign Minister Mireya Agüero has announced that this plan has been discarded
00:42and that Honduras will maintain its relationship with China.
00:45A couple of hours ago, during a face-to-face interview, Foreign Minister Agüero was asked specifically about the China
00:57issue.
00:57Regarding the campaign promise made by current President Tito Asfura to open relations with Taiwan,
01:04the Foreign Minister stated that they were re-evaluating the situation because, beyond ideology,
01:09it is important to assess what Taiwan would contribute.
01:13She also highlighted Honduras' needs regarding the Chinese market,
01:17ranging from infrastructure to the practical necessity of the Chinese market in our daily lives.
01:27In Honduras, the 2023 recognition of the one-China principle was considered a historic event,
01:35given that relations with Taiwan had previously been fostered and protected by the United States.
01:41Relations with Taiwan were characterized by checkbook diplomacy,
01:47essentially a matter of keeping certain officials on the payroll through cash bonuses.
01:51This sparked numerous corruption scandals across the region.
01:56Furthermore, it never truly benefited the country's international trade.
02:00Instead, it served only a tiny elite sector and producers closely tied to those in power.
02:06So, this is an inevitable trend.
02:09As we've said, China is the main trading partner for 96% of the world's countries.
02:15It isn't just a matter of choice.
02:16It is an inevitable trend in Latin America.
02:20The opening of relations between Honduras and China has yield positive figures for the Central American country.
02:31According to the Central Bank of Honduras, Honduran exports to China increased by 52 million in 2025.
02:39That represents a year-on-year growth of 38%, almost 39% compared to 2024,
02:47reflecting the fact that the relationship with China is steadily growing.
02:51Regarding the Chinese market's interest in specific commodities, such as coffee, melons, bananas, and shrimp,
02:59there is also the broader matter of the cooperation that has taken place with China over recent years.
03:05Discussions frequently touched upon the non-repayable assistance China provided to Honduras,
03:10particularly in areas like infrastructure, specifically roads, and education,
03:15where China offered significant support for schools.
03:18Health was another key area involving hospitals and the provision of supplies, materials, and equipment.
03:24The focus was primarily on education, health, infrastructure, and energy.
03:31The government of Honduras seems to be reevaluating their former position of ending relationship with China
03:36and opening again relationship with Taiwan.
03:38It seems that they have a new negotiation with their principal partner, the United States,
03:42so that this decision doesn't create any friction between both governments.
03:46And so Honduras can continue what Xiomara Castro started,
03:49opening relationship with China in commercial and diplomatic matters.
03:54For TeleStory in English, from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Gerardo Torres Zelaya.
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