Kuo and Lobo confirmed during the meeting that Taiwan-Honduras ties remain tight, said Florencia Hsie, deputy director-general of the ministry’s Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs.

Kuo also had a meeting with Arturo Corrales Alvarez, Honduras’ foreign minister, Hsie said.

Hsie said the government respects Honduras’ intention to develop trade relations with China but added that from Taiwan’s point of view, it can only be done as long as diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Honduras are not damaged.

Foreign Minister David Lin said Dec. 25 that Taiwan will not accept double recognition of both Taiwan and China by its allies but expressed his belief that diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Honduras will not be affected.

Lin’s remark was in response to a Dec. 19 statement released by the Honduran presidential office on its website saying that “President Porfirio Lobo Sosa confirmed this Wednesday that clear intentions exist to open diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, a situation that should not affect relations with Taiwan.”

“In the 21st Century, one can’t keep thinking that expanding relations with one country means being the enemy of another,” the statement read.

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