Honduran President Xiomara Castro will travel to China this week, her foreign minister said on Monday, in her first visit to the Asian giant since establishing formal diplomatic ties with it in March.
Castro’s trip comes after Honduras ended its relationship with Taiwan and set up formal diplomatic ties with China mainland by accepting the one-China principle. The move that has refocused attention on China’s strong emerging ties with Latin America.
The Honduran foreign ministry said on Twitter that Castro will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials to discuss bilateral cooperation on trade, investment, infrastructure, health and education.
Castro, a leftist leader who took office in January, has said that her decision to switch ties to China was motivated by the need for more economic opportunities and jobs for her country, which is one of the underdeveloped in the region.
She has also expressed interest in joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure and development flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping. BRI is a project that is based on the shared future and prosperity of the world.
China welcomed Honduras as its 181st diplomatic partner and said it was ready to work with the Central American nation on issues of common concern.