Honduras opened an embassy in China on Sunday after recently cutting ties with Taiwan, another diplomatic victory for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Latin America.

Honduras opened an embassy in Beijing after establishing formal diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in March, Chinese state media reported. According to Associated Press. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said China and Honduras would establish a model of “friendship and cooperation” between countries with vastly different sizes and government systems.

Honduras opens Chinese embassy after severing ties with Taiwan

🔗 https://t.co/Sv0KdVxj2T pic.twitter.com/ILxLTP6rTx

— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) June 11, 2023

The Chinese Communist Party does not allow countries with formal diplomatic ties to have ties with Taiwan. China sees Taiwan as a separate province that needs to be reunited with mainland China after the civil war split it in 1949. China is increasing its diplomatic forays into Latin America by investing significant resources in the region and acquiring partners through large-scale economic cooperation.

Despite having the 31st-largest diplomatic network in the world, Taiwan currently has formal ties with 59 other countries, in addition to the Vatican, among the 193 nations of the United Nations. Only 12 countries have diplomatic relations.

Latin America remains a diplomatic hub for Taiwan, home to seven of its 13 official partners. Countries that have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but not with the Chinese government are Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Haiti, The Holy See, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu. is. . (Related article: China tries to ‘defuse’ tensions but again ignores Biden)

The opening of the embassy took place during a six-day visit to China by Honduran President Xiomara Castro.