Foreign Minister Silent on Invitation to Pro-Taiwan Honduran Politician

Taipei: Taiwan's top diplomat on Wednesday refrained from confirming whether the country plans to invite the pro-Taiwan speaker of Honduras' National Congress for a visit. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung stated that while Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), severed ties with the Central American country three years ago, it has continued to maintain connections and interactions with allies there. According to Focus Taiwan, Lin acknowledged that National Congress Speaker Tomás Zambrano has publicly supported restoring ties with Taiwan and has garnered public support for his stance. Lin emphasized Taiwan's strategy of inviting significant political figures from non-diplomatic partners, including those from Europe and the South Pacific, but stopped short of confirming any invitation plans for Zambrano. During a legislative hearing, Lin responded to a question from ruling party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu, a member of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. Wang expressed his belief tha t Zambrano would soon visit Taiwan and sought confirmation from Lin. Zambrano, previously an opposition lawmaker, had criticized former President Xiomara Castro's decision to sever ties with the ROC in favor of the People's Republic of China (PRC), describing it as a mistake. After becoming the speaker of Congress in January, Zambrano reiterated his support for Taipei over Beijing, citing adverse effects on local businesses due to the diplomatic shift. He highlighted that more than 15,000 jobs were lost in the shrimp industry alone, referencing Honduran media reports. When questioned about progress toward restoring ties, Lin stated that Taipei maintained an open attitude toward friendly exchanges with Honduras and that bilateral communications remained smooth, though he did not provide further details. Earlier in the week, the ministry dismissed as "pure speculation" a Honduran media report suggesting that Taiwan might soon send a delegation to the former ally to explore resuming relations. Honduras' new p resident, Nasry Asfura, who assumed office in January, had promised during his campaign to restore ties with Taipei. Diplomatic relations were severed in 2023 under Castro's administration in favor of the PRC, ending an 82-year alliance.