TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – US Senator Jim Banks has written a letter to Honduras President Nasry Asfura asking him to restore diplomatic relations with Taiwan, reports said Wednesday.

The Central American country ended more than 80 years of official ties with Taiwan in 2023, but Asfura, the new president elected in November, promised to review the relationship with China. Banks alluded in his letter to Asfura saying Honduras was “100 times better off with Taiwan.”

The Indiana Republican, who visited Taiwan last month, described the country as a reliable partner and as a force for good in the world. He encouraged Asfura to “return Honduras’ diplomatic posture to its historic and natural pro-Taiwan leanings.”

A resumption of official relations would have a positive impact on democratic solidarity, economic development, and transparent partnerships, Banks wrote.

During the campaign for the November Honduran presidential elections, both front-runners said they wanted to restore ties with Taiwan. Promises from China about increased investment and a larger export market failed to materialize, while Honduran shrimp exporters complained about losing the Taiwan market.