Beijing, 11 June 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Honduras has opened an embassy in Beijing after breaking off diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Chinese state media reported on Sunday.

The embassy was inaugurated by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Eduardo Enrique Reina, the reports said.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro is on a five-day visit to China. After a first stop in Shanghai, the leftist politician will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the capital Beijing.

In March, the government of Honduras broke off relations with the democratic island republic of Taiwan in favour of Beijing. Castro hopes the move will help to expand the cooperation of her country of ten million inhabitants with the world's second largest economy.

Globally, only 13 mostly smaller countries maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and refuses to maintain official relations with any country that formally recognizes Taiwan diplomatically.

Photo: MIA archive