Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the afternoon of March 26, Presidential Office Spokesperson Olivia Lin (林聿禪) stated that as the Republic of Honduras is seeking to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan) has decided, after communication with Honduran counterparts did not produce the desired outcome, to terminate diplomatic relations with the Republic of Honduras, effective immediately. The spokesperson said that we will terminate all cooperative projects between our two countries, immediately close our embassy in Honduras, recall all technical and medical mission personnel stationed there, and request the immediate closure of the Embassy of the Republic of Honduras in Taiwan.

Spokesperson Lin said that our government expressed its willingness to assist Honduras to the best of our ability in promoting infrastructure development, and that our government reminded the Honduran government to be wary of unrealistic promises from China. However, the spokesperson noted, the Honduran government ignored the cooperation and assistance Taiwan has engaged in and provided over more than 80 years of diplomatic relations between our countries and is instead seeking to establish relations with China. The spokesperson said that these actions have hurt both the people and the government of Taiwan, for which the Presidential Office expresses its strongest regret and condemnation. 

Spokesperson Lin stressed that the ending of diplomatic relations with Honduras is part of a series of political and military coercion tactics employed by China, who has long constricted the international space of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and unilaterally endangered regional peace and stability. These actions, the spokesperson said, cannot change the fact that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, nor can they break the Taiwanese people’s will to embrace freedom and democracy, and to engage with the world.