Honduras has said it is looking to open formal diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China.
The country has formal links with Taiwan and would have to break that relationship if it decided to recognise China, which views the self-governed island of 23 million people as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties.
China has stepped up efforts to isolate the self-ruled island diplomatically since Tsai Ing-wen was first elected president in 2016.
At that time, Taiwan had formal ties with 22 states. Now that number is 14.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen welcoming Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano to Taipei last September [File: Ann Wang/Reuters]
Below are the countries that still maintain formal links with Taiwan.
Africa
Eswatini
Europe
The Vatican
Latin America and the Caribbean
Belize
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Paraguay
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen welcomed King Mswati III of Eswatini to the self-ruled island in October last year. Eswatini is Taiwan’s only formal ally in Africa [File: Ann Wang/Reuters]
Pacific
Marshall Islands
Nauru
Palau
Tuvalu
