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China advances and convinces more Latin Americans to leave Taiwan

In a priority action for Chinese foreign policy, Honduras this weekend became the fifth Latin American country in just six years to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and establish ties with Beijing.

The move is part of an offensive by China in the region. Panama, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Nicaragua had adopted the same course since 2017.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it “recognizes the existence of a single China in the world” and that Taiwan “forms an inalienable part of Chinese territory”.

According to the Foreign Ministry of the Central American nation, President Xi Jinping leads “the only legitimate government that represents all of China”. Honduras and Taiwan have maintained diplomatic ties since 1941. For the past 82 years, there have been no formal relations between Honduras and Beijing.

China has offered benefits, including investments in the productive sector and in infrastructure, in an attempt to bring countries that still preferred Taiwan to its zone of influence.

Panama is negotiating a free trade agreement that could open up the Chinese market to its products. In San Salvador, the Salvadoran capital, Beijing has pledged to finance and build the most modern football stadium in Central America.

After the change in position of Honduras and other countries in the region, there are 13 nations in the world that still maintain formal relations with Taiwan: Paraguay, Guatemala, Haiti, Belize, Vatican City and small islands in the Caribbean and Pacific.

In Paraguay, which will have presidential elections in April, the issue entered the campaign agenda and an exchange of Taiwan for China is defended by the current opposition.

This whole move comes amid growing speculation that the Chinese Communist Party is considering an invasion of the Asian island. The CCP has historically claimed dominion over Taiwan and a one-government regime.

Source: CNN Brasil

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