East Asia “Detailed coverage notes” (No. 181)
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Can you tell the difference between “Hongdulas” and “Hongdulass”? The four Chinese characters are the same, but the only difference is the first character “hong” and “hong”, but this one letter difference is very much in the world of international relations.
They both represent Honduras, a Central American country with a population of around 10 million. The first is Taiwan notation and the last is China notation.
Friendly nation Taiwan undermined by China
On March 26, “Hongdulas” changed to “Hongdulas”. Honduras cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established diplomatic ties with China.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina shook hands and signed the “Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations” in Beijing on the same day. A CCTV announcer (China Central Broadcasting Television) read aloud the full text of the communication on the news on the same day.
The People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Honduras have decided, based on the interests and wishes of the people of both countries, to establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level from the date of signing. The two governments agreed to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to develop friendly relations between the two countries based on the principles of non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence.
The Government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes that there is only one China in the world, namely that the Government of the People’s Republic of China represents the sole legitimate government of the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an integral part of China’s territory. On the same day, the government of the Republic of Honduras severed its “diplomatic relations” with Taiwan, promising never again to have any official relations with Taiwan, and never to carry out any official exchanges with it. The Government of the People’s Republic of China commends the Government of the Republic of Honduras for the above position.
