FILE – Honduras’ President Xiomara Castro waves in the course of the swearing-in ceremony for Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro in Bogota, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. Castro has flown to China on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, to fulfill with President Xi Jinping.

Fernando Vergara/AP

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Fernando Vergara/AP

FILE – Honduras’ President Xiomara Castro waves in the course of the swearing-in ceremony for Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro in Bogota, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. Castro has flown to China on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, to fulfill with President Xi Jinping.

Fernando Vergara/AP

BEIJING — Honduras opened an embassy in Beijing on Sunday, Chinese state media reported, months after the Central American nation broke off relations with Taiwan to kind diplomatic ties with China.

China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Enrique Reina took half within the inauguration of the embassy on Sunday morning, China’s official CCTV mentioned. The report mentioned Honduras nonetheless wanted to find out the embassy’s everlasting location and would enhance its variety of workers.

The image of the 2 sides’ strengthening diplomatic ties got here throughout Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s six-day go to to China.

Honduras established formal relations with China in March, turning into the most recent in a string of nations to interrupt diplomatic ties with Taiwan. China sees self-governed Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be retaken by drive if vital, and prohibits its personal diplomatic companions from having formal ties with Taipei.

Castro arrived in Shanghai on Friday on her first go to for the reason that institution of relations. During her keep in Shanghai, she visited the headquarters of the New Development Bank, a financial institution established by the BRICS nations, which incorporates Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Honduras requested admission to the financial institution, Castro’s workplace tweeted Saturday.

The president additionally visited a analysis middle for expertise large Huawei earlier than arriving in Beijing on Saturday evening, China’s official Global Times newspaper reported.

The ties shaped in March have been a diplomatic victory for China amid heightened tensions between Beijing and the United States, together with over China’s rising assertiveness towards self-ruled Taiwan. It additionally signaled China’s rising affect in Latin America.

China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they cut up amid civil battle in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its “one China” coverage.