Vice president invites Honduras' new president to visit Taiwan

Tegucigalpa, Jan. 27 (CNA) Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) invited Honduran President Xiomara Castro to visit Taiwan during a bilateral meeting held after Castro was sworn in on Thursday, according to Taiwan's Presidential Office.

During the meeting, Lai extended an invitation on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to Castro to visit Taiwan and expressed Taiwan's continued support for the Honduran government as it pushes for economic reforms and combats corruption in the country, the office said.

Lai mentioned that both Tsai and Castro became the first female presidents of their respective countries, so their meeting would bear testimony to global efforts to promote women's empowerment, the office said.

The vice president also proposed that Taiwan, Honduras, and the United States collaborate on "helping Honduras solve various problems," the office said, without providing specifics.

The bilateral meeting had originally been scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed until Thursday because Castro was tied up in dealing with Honduras' internal affairs, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During Thursday's meeting, Lai presented COVID-19 relief donations to Castro as a symbolic gesture of Taiwan's ongoing diplomatic relations with Honduras, including testing kits, N95 respirators, and forehead thermometers, the office said.

Castro later took to social media to thank Taiwan for the donation, saying she appreciated Taiwan showing solidarity with Honduras and support for the country's development.