Honduras says economic factors fuelling pursuit of China ties

Honduran President Xiomara Castro said on Tuesday that the Central American nation would cut ties with Taiwan and pursue relations with China, part of a trend that has been bolstered by China's economic clout [File: Jose Cabezas/Reuters]

The Honduran foreign minister has said that a decision to pursue diplomatic relations with China and ditch ties with Taiwan was motivated by economic interests rather than ideology.

Speaking to the Canal 5 television channel on Wednesday, Eduardo Enrique Reina said that rising debt and the need for more investments motivated the decision, which was announced a day earlier by Honduran President Xiomara Castro.