China-Honduras Closeness is Dollar Diplomacy Says Taiwan
- Posted on March 26, 2023
- News
- By Arijit Dutta
- 556 Views
China-Honduras Closeness:-
In a significant move that is likely to further strain Taiwan's diplomatic relations with China, Honduras has ended its decades-long ties with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with China. The Move was announced on Sunday, much to the dismay of Taiwan's government.According to reports, Honduras had been demanding exorbitant sums of money from Taiwan before agreeing to continue its diplomatic relations with the island nation. Taiwan's foreign minister, Joseph Wu, accused Honduras of "dollar diplomacy" and said that the country had been "lured away" by China.
China has been aggressively courting Taiwan's few remaining allies, offering them economic incentives and other benefits in exchange for cutting diplomatic ties with the self-ruled island. China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and has vowed to reunify the island with the mainland, by force if necessary.
In recent years, several countries have switched their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, including the Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, and El Salvador. With Honduras now joining this group, Taiwan has only 15 allies left, most of them small countries in the Pacific and Caribbean.
Taiwan's government has accused China of using its economic clout to undermine Taiwan's international standing. It has also warned that China's efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically could be a prelude to a military attack.
China, however, has defended its actions, saying that Taiwan is a "renegade province" that must be brought back under Chinese control. It has also accused Taiwan of engaging in "separatist" activities and has threatened to use force to prevent Taiwan from declaring formal independence.
The establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Honduras is likely to be a blow to Taiwan's government, which has been struggling to maintain its international standing. It remains to be seen whether other countries Will follow Honduras' lead and switch their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China