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Outgoing Honduras President Hernández concludes 3-day visit in Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

11/15/2021 12:09 AM

Taipei, Nov. 14 (CNA) Outgoing Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández left Taiwan on Sunday, ending a three-day trip that marked the 80 anniversary of diplomatic relations between his Central American country and Taiwan.

Hernández and his 11-member delegation departed Taoyuan International Airport at around 11:50 p.m., after completing the last item on his formal itinerary, which was a visit to the Central American Bank for Economic Integration Country Office in Taiwan.

During his stay in Taiwan, Hernández met with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) Saturday and celebrated 80 years of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Honduras.

In the meeting with Tsai at the Presidential Office, Hernández said the two countries were true friends, and his visit was a "clear and firm message" that Honduras wanted to stand by Taiwan, which has been facing a growing military threat from China.

Also on Saturday, a member of the delegation, Honduran Foreign Minister Lisandro Rosales Banegas, was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon by Taiwan's foreign ministry, in recognition of his contribution to promoting closer diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Hernández arrived in Taiwan on Friday night with his delegation, on his fourth visit to the country, at the invitation of President Tsai.

His previous visits were in 2015 and 2016 as Honduras' president, and in 2010 in his capacity then as speaker of his country's parliament.

The latest visit came only months before the end of Hernández's second and final presidential term, and amid uncertainty over Honduras' foreign policy after its Nov. 28 presidential election.

One of the leading candidates, Xiomara Castro of the left-wing opposition Liberty and Refoundation Party, has vowed to forge diplomatic relations with China, if elected, according to a Reuters report in September.

If that happens, Taiwan's number of diplomatic allies will shrink to 14.

(By Joseph Yeh)

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