Honduras on Sunday established diplomatic relations with the PRC, formally switching its official recognition to Beijing a day after severing ties with Taiwan, thereby completing a pledge made by Pres. Xiomara Castro earlier this month.
Democratic socialist Castro — who was elected by a huge margin in 2021 — had previously outlined plans to push for improved relations with Beijing in her pre-electoral foreign policy manifesto.
This announcement comes days before Taiwan's Pres. Tsai Ing-wen is set to visit its now two remaining Central American allies, Belize and Guatemala, with the aim of strengthening ties. With the news of Honduras, only 12 nations and the Holy See still recognize the island as self-ruled.
Honduras has taken this decision because Beijing has expanded its dollar diplomacy so as to isolate Taiwan and suppress its international participation. However, the PRC will neither be able to intimidate the democratic island nor disrupt regional peace and stability — Taiwanese people can count on their diplomatic allies and like-minded global partners to defend Taiwan's sovereignty on the international stage.
Given the PRC's relevance in today's world, Honduras will not be the last alleged diplomatic ally of Taiwan to cut ties with the island and seek better relations with Beijing. This decision has nothing to do with dollar diplomacy — a practice in which China has never engaged — but everything to do with a sovereign state following its own interests instead of those of the US and Taiwan secessionists.