Honduras president begins 1st China trip after establishing diplomatic ties

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Honduras President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento arrived in China on Friday, the first such visit since the central American nation cut ties with Taiwan and established full diplomatic relations with Beijing in March.

Castro, 63, who is on a six-day visit to China, was received by Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Hua Chunying upon her arrival in Shanghai, videos shared by the ministry showed.

China’s President Xi Jinping will host Castro for bilateral meetings to “jointly plan for the future development” of China-Honduras relations, according to the state-run Xinhua News.

Earlier, the central American nation, home to little over 10 million people, had diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China considers its "breakaway province."

In March, the Honduran Foreign Ministry said that it recognized China as the "only legitimate government that represents all of China" and that Taiwan is an "inseparable" part of Chinese territory.

Beijing opened its embassy in Honduras earlier this week. Ahead of Castro's trip, around 21 journalists from Honduras reached China on Thursday.

Taiwan is left with only 13 diplomatic allies after Honduras cut ties with Taipei.