US says respect to Honduras decision to establish diplomatic ties with China

TEGUCIGALPA: The US government said it respects Honduras decision to establish formal diplomatic relations with China, the Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said on Monday after a meeting with US officials.

Reina said that President Xiomara Castro made general comments about the decision during the meeting attended by different officials, such as the US Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas Chris Dodd.

Castro announced last week that the country would seek diplomatic relations with Beijing, a move that risks reducing Taiwan's pool of allies as China does not allow countries with which it has diplomatic relations to maintain official ties with Taiwan.

Taiwan believes that Taiwan is its own territory with no right to state-to- state ties, a position Taiwan strongly disputes.

Since 2016 when Tsai Ing-wen was elected president of Taiwan, Panama, El Salvador and most recently Nicaragua, they have decided to establish relations with China.