China has no right to comment on Taiwan exchanges with Honduras: MOFA

Taipei, June 30 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday said Beijing has "no right to comment" on Taipei's exchanges with other countries and reiterated it is open to restoring ties with Honduras, which cut relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing in 2023.

MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuangwei (蕭光偉) said Taiwan, as a sovereign state, has every right to engage in friendly exchanges with countries around the world and that China has no business commenting on such interactions.

Hsiao also reiterated that Taipei maintains an open attitude toward friendly exchanges with democratic allies around the world, including Honduras.

"Regarding the future development of relations between Taiwan and Honduras, our country will continue to advance ties based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, maintaining an open stance without preconditions," he said during a weekly MOFA briefing.

Hsiao made the comments a week after Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) told several Honduran news outlets while in Paraguay that Taiwan is ready to "welcome back old friends" and rebuild relations with Tegucigalpa.

He also said China was pressuring Honduras to maintain control over its ties.

In response to Chen's interviews, the Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a June 24 statement that Honduras is not engaged in any official talks or contacts with Taiwan authorities aimed at "restoring diplomatic relations."

The country's foreign policy is conducted in accordance with its existing diplomatic commitments, it said.

On June 25, China's Foreign Ministry responded with the comments MOFA objected to. It praised Honduras for upholding Beijing's one-China principle, under which Taiwan is considered part of Chinese territory.

"The 'Taiwan independence' forces and the DPP authorities' [Taiwan's ruling party] unjust pursuit have little support and will end up in failure," it said.

Honduran President Nasry Asfura, who took office in January, pledged during his election campaign to restore ties with Taipei. Diplomatic relations were severed in 2023 under former President Xiomara Castro in favor of Beijing, ending an 82-year alliance.

But neither Taipei nor Tegucigalpa have made public any formal talks between the two on restoring ties.