“We have a very strong bond between Taiwan and Guatemala and we will maintain a very close relationship in the future,” he said. Taiwanese Vice Foreign Minister Chung-Kwang Tiento a group of journalists invited by the Government.
Guatemala is one of the 12 countries that maintain relations with Taiwanwhich has commercial and cultural representation offices with 111 other nations. Taipei has seen that number shrink over the years in favor of China.
After coming to power in January of this year, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo de León, reiterated its commitment to maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan and at the same time expand trade with China with a possible opening of a trade interests office without breaking ties with Taipei.
Tien argued that China is trying to open offices in all countries with ties to Taiwan to “counter” its influence. “It is what we call the white elephant syndrome. China goes to all the countries with which we have relations,” he added.
The deputy minister cited as an example Tuvalu, a small South Pacific nation to which, he said, Beijing had promised to help with projects whose implementation had been postponed, in which they do not employ national workers and do not use local materials.
“In other words, They build things that do not benefit the local population but their own.“he explained, stressing that China never delivers on its promises or “only delivers 10 percent.”
Tien said that “it takes time to see the true face” of Chinese promises and, in that sense, he said that Honduras will need more time to realize the consequences of the break with Taiwan and the establishment of relations with China in 2023.
“A year is probably not enough.“, he stressed.
Some sectors in Honduras, such as agriculture and shrimp exports, They have expressed their discontent with the consequences of Tegucigalpa’s diplomatic decision.
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