Guatemala, Taiwan Reaffirm Diplomatic Ties After Honduras's Switch to China

The leaders of Guatemala and Taiwan have reaffirmed their diplomatic ties in the jungle ruins of the Maya civilization citadel.

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen and Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei shook hands in front of the stone pyramid known as El Gran Jaguar on Saturday, with promises to maintain strong ties, according to The Guardian.

Jenny Barrios, Guatemalan deputy culture minister, said that dignitaries saw the "strengthening of the friendship" between the two nations.

Tsai thanked Giammattei's support last year when China executed military maneuvers near Taiwan while also highlighting the cooperation with Guatemala.

Guatemala is one of only 13 countries maintaining diplomatic ties with the self-governing island, which China claims as its territory. Most of Taiwan's diplomatic allies were nations in the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Latin America.

Giammatei called Taiwan the "one and only true China" while speaking to the media with Tsai at his side.

Meanwhile, some Guatemalans think they are missing economic opportunities by picking Taiwan over China.

Sociologist and political analyst Miguel Angel Sandoval said that Beijing is a "market of more than one billion people," adding that it is in Guatemala's best interest, especially its sectors, to export and import products from China.

Taiwan and Guatemala Diplomatic Ties

Former Guatemalan Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez told Reuters that Guatemala supports Taiwan because it is eyeing a favor with the United States at a time when relations between Guatemala and Washington have been strained.

Gutierrez said that Guatemala's government is planning to rebuild relationships with some U.S. institutions by offering the Latin American country as a "migrant deposit."

The influence of China in the Latin America region has increased after some of the previous Taipei allies switched to China. These countries include Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, and Costa Rica.

Taiwan made a stopover in New York before arriving in Guatemala, a move that angered China. Beijing has repeatedly warned U.S. officials not to meet the Taiwanese president.

Tsai also signed a $4 million agreement to modernize rural areas in Guatemala and promised to promote and increase cooperation between the two countries.

China's Influence in Latin America

Honduras was the recent Latin American country to join Beijing and cut its diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Its foreign relations minister, Enrique Reina, said that Honduras is grateful for its past relationship with Taiwan.

Reina noted in an Associated Press News report that Honduras made "political decisions," and that the world has been "moving in this direction."

The foreign relations minister went on to say that Honduras's foreign policy should seek to "benefit the people."

Reina said that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden should "understand and respect" the country's needs and decisions.

China has invested more than $130 billion in Latin America between 2005 and 2020, while trade between China and Latin America has been projected to reach more than $700 billion by 2035.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Taiwan's president visits Guatemala to strengthen ties - from Al Jazeera English