Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Open to restoring ties with Honduras without preconditions

(CNA, Taipei, June 30) -- The Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated that it had not engaged in official discussions with Taiwan regarding the restoration of diplomatic relations. China claimed Honduras was clarifying Taiwan's lies. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today refuted China's false statements, pointing out that Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi, in an interview with foreign media, mentioned that China might pressure Honduras to approach Taiwan, and that Taiwan remains open to re-establishing friendship without preconditions for relations with Honduras.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held its regular press conference this morning. When asked by reporters about the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs' social media post on the 24th stating that Honduras had not engaged in any official consultations or dialogues with Taiwanese officials regarding the restoration of diplomatic relations, and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement on the 25th that China had noted the Honduran government's clarification of "lies by the Taiwanese authorities."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ou Chiang-wei stated that the ministry sternly refutes China's false remarks regarding Taiwan's interactions with the international community. He emphasized that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a sovereign and independent country, and that it and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. This is an internationally recognized fact and the objective reality of the Taiwan Strait, and China has no right to interfere.

Ou Chiang-wei further stated that China deceived Honduras into shifting its diplomatic recognition with false promises and empty slogans. This has not brought economic benefits to Honduras; instead, it faces the consequences of rapid industrial collapse, severe unemployment, and an imbalance in bilateral trade. This is the true deception.

Ou Chiang-wei said that Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi previously stated in an interview with Honduran media that, based on past international experience, China might be using economic, financial, and political pressure to prevent Honduras from approaching Taiwan. Taiwan has always maintained an open attitude towards re-establishing friendship with Honduras and is willing to rebuild a cooperative relationship based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, and common prosperity.

Ou Chiang-wei stressed that Taiwan, as a reliable global partner, has always upheld an open stance in deepening democratic alliances with countries worldwide and continues to maintain good interactions with friends from all sectors in Honduras. Regarding the future development of Taiwan-Honduras relations, Taiwan will continue to promote them under the policy guidance of comprehensive diplomacy and the Rongbang Project, based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, with its consistent open, pragmatic, and precondition-free stance. (Editor: Lin Shu-yuan) 1150630

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