Honduras cuts ties with Taiwan, boosts China's growing influence
| Mexico City
Honduras鈥� decision to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China is yet another sign of growing Chinese influence in Latin America.
For decades the Asian superpower funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across the region. Now, as geopolitical tensions simmer between China and the Biden administration, that spending has paid off.
Honduras鈥� decision was the second foreign policy coup in a week for China, which brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations last week.
Now, Taiwan will be recognized by only 13 countries. But some of the few remaining in Latin America, like Paraguay and Guatemala, promised Wednesday to keep their support for Taiwan.
Honduras鈥� minister of foreign relations, Enrique Reina, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Hondurans 鈥渁re grateful鈥� for their past relationship with Taiwan, but that their economic links to China ultimately pushed their government to cut diplomatic ties.
鈥淭hese are political decisions. The world has been moving in this direction,鈥� Mr. Reina said. 鈥淚t is a complex decision, we understand, but Honduras鈥� foreign policy should seek to benefit the people. We believe that this step will benefit the country.鈥�
The Central American nation follows the steps of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic in turning its back on Taiwan.
Honduras鈥� announcement on Tuesday was a blow to the Biden administration, which has rather fruitlessly tried to persuade countries in the region to stick with Taiwan. Taiwan, a U.S. ally, has pushed for sovereignty at the same time that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has insisted the island is firmly under its control.
In that sense, Tuesday鈥檚 announcement also exemplifies the American government is 鈥渓osing it鈥檚 grasp on鈥� Latin America, said David Castrillon-Kerrigan, research professor on China-related issues at Colombia鈥檚 Externado University.
鈥淔or countries, like Honduras, not recognizing the government in Beijing meant missing opportunities,鈥� said Mr. Castrillon-Kerrigan. The United States 鈥渋s definitely losing influence on every front, especially the economic front, but also diplomatically, politically, and culturally.鈥�
It鈥檚 left the island with a dwindling number of allies. Mr. Reina told the AP that the Biden administration 鈥渕ust understand and respect鈥� Honduras鈥� needs and decisions.
But some, like Paraguay and Guatemala, remained steadfast in their support for Taiwan. Guatemalan officials reiterated the government鈥檚 鈥渞ecognition of Taiwan as an independent nation that shares democratic values.鈥�
Over the past two decades, China has slowly carved out a space for itself in Latin America by pouring money into the region and investing in major infrastructure, energy, and space projects.
Between 2005 and 2020, China invested more than $130 billion in Latin America, according to the U.S. Institute of Peace. Trade between China and the region has also shot up, expected to reach more than $700 billion by 2035.
That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies.
In Honduras, that has come in the form of the construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about $300 million in Chinese government financing.
Meanwhile, in many countries, the U.S. government has not stepped in with similarly sized projects.
While many view the investment as a positive step for nations that often struggle to pull together funds for development, some, like June Teufel, professor of Political Science at the University of Miami, worry about the long-term ripple effects rising Chinese power could have.
Ms. Teufel said China is wielding that new influence as 鈥渁 diplomatic weapon.鈥�
In many countries across Africa and Latin America, Chinese investment has been marred by mounting debt in developing nations. In many cases, infrastructure projects can only be repaired by Chinese companies, racking up a higher bill, said Ms. Teufel.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit like the drug dealer saying to the potential customer, the first dose is free,鈥� Ms. Teufel said. 鈥淚t gets another country abandoning Taiwan, which is something it has been wanting to do for a long time, depriving Taiwan of all its remaining allies.鈥�
This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽AP correspondents Daniel Politi in Buenos Aires and Sonia Perez in Guatemala City contributed to this report.
