TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – China and Honduras started talks over a free trade pact on Monday, the Central American country’s government announced in a post on social media, in the latest advance between the two nations and their recent diplomatic and economic opening.
Honduras economy ministry dubbed the day “historic” in a post on Twitter.
Eduardo Reina, the Honduran foreign minister, told reporters earlier on Monday that China’s deputy trade minister will visit Tegucigalpa on July 6-8 to participate in trade talks.
Last month, Beijing approved Honduran imports of bananas, coffee and shrimp.
The start of trade negotiations comes after Honduras broke off its longstanding ties with Taiwan in March, and moved to establish relations with mainland China and its massive economy, the world’s second-biggest.
(Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by David Alire Garcia)
