Honduras on Saturday announced that the country is severing so-called "diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities.

"The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of a one-China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China represents China as a whole," the Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a post on Twitter. 

The ministry added Honduras had notified Taiwan region of its decision to cut ties, and that it would not return to having any relationship or official contact with it.

In the past two decades, over a dozen countries have established or resumed diplomatic relations with China. After Honduras' recent move, countries that still diplomatically recognized Taiwan were reduced to 13.

Honduran officials confirmed that the country's foreign minister traveled to China this week. Prior to that visit, the country's President Xiomara Castro had said her government would start ties with Beijing.

China welcomed the remarks. Just days ago at a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China is willing to establish and develop bilateral relations with Honduras based on equality and mutual respect.

(Cover: Honduran President Xiomara Castro holds up her clenched fist during her inauguration ceremony, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, January 27, 2022. /CFP)