Honduras' Pro-China President Elect's pledge to sever ties with Taiwan puts US on edge

Honduras' presidential election victory by Xiomara Castro has put the United States at the centre of an expanding diplomatic tug-of-war between Taiwan and China. Honduras' first female President Castro pledged in her manifesto to sever the decades-long alliance with Taiwan and establish diplomatic ties with Beijing. The Guardian reported, citing sources within her campaign that Washington is concerned by Xiomara Castro's pledge and has persuaded her to retain ties with Taiwan.

Castro made a major campaign commitment to cut ties with Taiwan's government in favour of the Chinese mainland. The pledge has shown to be successful, regardless of whether it was an election strategy to distinguish oneself from the present administration. Whether or not the wife of former president will actually begin the process of severing "diplomatic relations" with Taipei, the campaign commitment she made stirred up a big number of Hondurans to buy into the idea, according to several media reports.

US to employ measures to keep Honduras from severing ties with Taipei

According to Global Times, Washington has increased its efforts to utilise the Taiwan issue to exert pressure on Beijing. If Castro truly intends to break diplomatic links with Taiwan, it is expected that the US will employ various measures to block the process, reportedly. The media agency reported, citing experts that if Honduras wants to develop diplomatic ties with China, it must weigh US economic, political, and security pressures.

According to The Guardian, during a visit to Honduras the week before the election, a US delegation expressed optimism that the country would maintain its current ties with Taiwan; a move that the Chinese foreign ministry condemned as arm-twisting and bullying tactics. Reportedly, experts say the drive to establish diplomatic relations with China would be motivated in part by a desire to counterbalance US dominance, and that the possible financial benefits would be too appealing to pass up.

Taiwan's President congratulated Castro on Twitter

Meanwhile, Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, on December 1, congratulated Castro on winning the election and reminded her of their bilateral connections, in an apparent attempt to restore the relationship. "I look forward to working with you to benefit the people of our countries & strengthen the longstanding #Taiwan-#Honduras partnership," Ing-wen wrote on Twitter. Castro retweeted the message and replied succinctly, "Thank you very much President Tsai ing-wen."

Although Taiwan has generously donated to its financially-weak allies, including Honduras, it cannot compete with China's economic potential, which has showered gifts, loans, and investments on other countries in the region that have shifted diplomatic allegiances in recent years, according to the media reports. Panama severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 2017 and has since experienced a surge in Chinese investment. Honduras, one of Taiwan's 15 remaining diplomatic allies, has enjoyed diplomatic relations with the country for the past 80 years. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP