[ad_1]
One of Taiwan’s few allies warned that it might be forced to transfer diplomatic allegiance from Taipei to Beijing in order to gain access to the Chinese coronavirus vaccine.
Carlos Alberto Madero, the chief coordinator of the Honduras cabinet, is similar to the prime minister. In an interview with the British Financial Times, he said that the country wants to avoid interruption of long-term relations with Taipei. But he warned that getting a vaccine is “more urgent than anything else.”
Central American countries have been unable to purchase sufficient quantities of Covid-19 stabs, and delivery delays on signed contracts.it The vaccination rate is less than 1% Of its 9 million population
“This puts us in a very difficult situation,” Madero said. “[The] The Honduran people began to see that China was helping its allies, and we began to ask ourselves why our country did not help us. “
It may “definitely lead to a change in foreign policy.”
Madero said that Honduras has contacted the United States for vaccines and has been promised to provide help, but has not yet received any assistance.
The US State Department stated that Washington was “deeply concerned” about the challenges facing Honduras and pointed out that President Joe Biden had announced 80 million doses of vaccine will be given away It will be released globally by the end of June. A spokesperson did not say whether Honduras will receive any compensation.
Only 15 countries have established comprehensive diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China claims are part of Taiwan’s territory. Any move by Honduras to abandon Taiwan will raise alarms in Washington.
In the past five years, China has used its economic power to persuade one-third of Taiwan’s allies, including Panama in 2017, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic in 2018, to transform into diplomatic recognition.
The United States has recently strengthened diplomatic contacts with Paraguay. Earlier, Asunción stated that China has offered to provide a Covid-19 vaccine in exchange for Beijing’s recognition. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is called the President of Paraguay. The move by US officials stated that the move was aimed at providing public support to Taiwan’s allies.
The United States, which has traditionally had a strong influence in the region, has publicly discouraged Taiwan’s remaining Latin American allies from switching.After El Salvador severed ties with Taipei in 2018, Washington said it would Reassess its relationship With San Salvador.
Members of the “Group of Four”, a security and diplomatic organization between the United States, Japan, India, and Australia, agreed in March making plans Provide jabs to developing countries to counter China’s vaccine diplomacy. But some lawmakers want the Biden team to pay more attention to their southern neighbors.
The Democratic Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez and Republican Senator Marco Rubio urged the President to provide vaccines to Latin America and the Caribbean, citing the need to deal with China’s similar measures. action.
The senator said in a letter last week: “Without the participation and leadership of the United States, our competitors will continue to work hard to use poorly effective vaccines as a means to coerce the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to support the detriment of us. Diplomatic agenda.”
Of the 144 million doses of vaccines delivered to the 10 most populous countries/regions in Latin America, China has shipped more than half of the vaccines. According to FT analysis.
El Salvador’s access to Chinese vaccines has helped nearly 16% of its population to be vaccinated.
Honduras tried to buy Chinese vaccines, but failed to obtain a contract.
Madero said: “We think geopolitics are related to vaccines.” “Of course, you start to see countries that have more relations with China get more vaccines.”
The President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández (Juan Orlando Hernández) raised the possibility of opening a trade office in China to improve relations.
Taipei is doing its best to provide vaccines for its own people The first big outbreak Covid-19.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused China of “using vaccines to exchange political and diplomatic benefits for countries that desperately need them”, which Taiwan described as a “shameful move”.
Additional reporting by Katrina Manson in Washington
[ad_2]
Source link
