Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Chinese Foreign Ministry refuted allegations about preconditions having been set for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras, saying that it's not a matter for bargaining. The ministry reiterated that there have been no preconditions for establishing or resuming diplomatic relations with countries such as Panama and the Dominican Republic. 

When asked about whether China would provide $2.5 billion of assistance to Honduras as the Central American country previously requested from the Taiwan island, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Honduras' decision of establishing diplomatic relations with China is based on the one-China principle and comes without any preconditions. China highly appreciates the decision, and the establishment of diplomatic relations is not a bargaining chip, Mao said. 

In recent years, countries like Panama, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Nicaragua have successively established or resumed diplomatic relations with China, all without any preconditions, the spokesperson noted. 

"It's the same truth for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras," she said, noting that after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, China will, on the basis of the one-China principle, uphold the spirit of mutual respect, equality and benefit, actively pushing forward all-round reciprocal cooperation to help advance Honduras' economic and social development. 

China and Honduras established diplomatic relations on Sunday, just few hours after Honduras severed "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan as the Central American country recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory - a decision which places Honduras on the right side of history.

However, both the DPP authorities and the US government responded to the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras with similar rhetoric by continuing to hype baseless claims of $2.5 billion of economic assistance that Honduras had asked for. 

"'Dollar diplomacy' is a commonly used tactic by the DPP authorities. We need to tell them that the 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end and there's no way forward for their 'dollar diplomacy', any attempts against the trend of the times are doomed to fail," Mao said. 

In response to comments made by the American Institute in Taiwan on Sunday who stated that it was important to note that China "often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic recognition that ultimately remain unfulfilled," Mao said to quote a line from a Chinese poem, "Despite the incessant cry of apes from the banks, the swift boat has already sailed through thousands of hills," an allegory which shows that empty noise would not stop the way we move forward.  

While there are still students from the Taiwan island in Honduras, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China remains aware of their situation. If they are willing to transfer to the Chinese mainland for study, we'll accept them all, and the mainland will be their new homeland, Mao said. 

China also hopes to take the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras as a new starting point to expand cultural and education exchange, the spokesperson said. 

Global Times