China and Honduras established diplomatic relation on Sunday with Honduras recognizing Taiwan as an inalienable part of China’s territory.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Eduardo Enrique Reina met in Beijing and signed the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras on Sunday morning, agreeing to develop friendly relations under the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
Effective from the date of signature of the joint communiqué, the two sides established ambassadorial level diplomatic relations.
On Saturday, Honduras severed “diplomatic relations” with Taiwan, and promised not to have any official relations with Taiwan moving forward, nor to conduct any official exchanges.
“The government of Honduras recognizes that there is only one China in the world, that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” the Honduran announcement read.
China highly appreciates Honduras’ correct decision that is in line with prevailing global trends and supported by the people, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said following the finalization of the joint communiqué, stressing that the one-China principle is recognized by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971, and is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations.
“Honduras is an important country in Central America. It chooses to stand with 181 countries in the world, recognize and undertake to adhere to the one-China principle,” noted the Chinese foreign ministry, saying that by following the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, China stands ready to enhance friendly cooperation with Honduras in various fields to the benefit of our two countries and peoples.
After Honduras established diplomatic ties with China, only 13 nations still had “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan island, with seven in the Central America, four in the Oceania, one in Africa and one in Europe.
(Global Times)
