TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Taiwan’s diplomatic allies dwindle due to China's diplomatic pressure, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) solidified ties with Guatemala and Belize during her visit to Central America from April 1-5.

Tsai’s trip came just days after Honduras switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, after 82 years. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) revealed that after President Xiomara Castro took office in 2022, Honduras demanded “massive amounts of economic aid, totaling billions of U.S. dollars, and weighed Taiwan’s assistance proposals against those submitted by China.”

The foreign affairs ministry warned the international community “that China frequently makes ostentatious commitments to lure Taiwan’s diplomatic allies into switching diplomatic recognition.” Honduras joins an expanding list of countries in Central America that have abandoned Taipei for Beijing, including Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Costa Rica.

Tsai visited Guatemala on April 1-3, when Guatemala’s President Alejandro Giammattei voiced his support of Taiwan’s sovereignty. Giammattei called ties with Taiwan “unbreakable,” saying, “Taiwan is the only and the real China to us.”

Tsai’s visit to Guatemala concluded with the unveiling of a new hospital, built with US$22 million of Taipei’s financial assistance, per Prensa Libre. Tsai said she was pleased with the construction of the hospital, and Giammattei thanked Taiwan for the donation.

However, both leaders avoided commenting on the ongoing investigation of fraudulent purchases of medical equipment linked to the Giammattei administration. By remaining an ally of Taiwan, Guatemala hopes to regain U.S. political favor amid criticism for failing to crack down on corruption, former Guatemalan Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez told Reuters.

Next, Tsai visited Belize on April 2-4, where she was welcomed with “open arms” by Brazilian Prime Minister John Briceno, who reaffirmed Belize's formal recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign and independent country. During a joint session of Belize’s National Assembly, Briceno also thanked Taiwan for funding several of the country’s key development projects, such as farming programs, as well as providing US$16.5 million in aid to build a hospital.

Likewise, Tsai thanked Belize for its support amid threats from China, saying, “The people of Taiwan face constant threats and pressure from the neighbor on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.” China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory and refuses to allow other countries to maintain diplomatic relations with both at the same time.

Taiwan is left with only 13 diplomatic allies: Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Haiti, the Holy See, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu.

There are fears Taiwan could lose more allies soon, as Paraguay, Taiwan’s only remaining ally in South America, prepares for its upcoming election on April 30. Even though President Mario Abdo Benitez confirmed Paraguay’s strong commitment to Taiwan, opposition candidate Efraín Alegre vowed to sever ties with Taiwan if elected, Reuters reported.

Furthermore, Guatemala will hold its presidential election on June 25. President Giammattei, a supporter of Taiwan, is not eligible for re-election, calling into question the future of Taiwan-Guatemala relations, per Financial Times.

On Wednesday (April 5), Tsai will meet with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, the first meeting between a Taiwanese president and a U.S. House speaker on U.S. soil.

China has responded with routine indignation, as Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) declared, “we resolutely oppose the U.S. conducting official interaction with the Taiwanese government in any form.” Defiant, Taiwan’s MOFA maintained Taiwan has never been part of nor ruled by China, which is “an objective fact clearly known internationally.”