Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen meets with leaders of Honduras, Nicaragua

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with the president of Nicaragua and held talks with Honduran Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga in the countries that still maintain diplomatic relations with Taipei.

Tsai, who is on a tour of Central America, had already met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz in Houston.

On Monday, Tsai met with the Honduran cardinal in the capital city of Tegucigalpa, at the Basílica de Suyapa, Taiwanese newspaper China Times reported Tuesday.

Tsai attended a mass at the church that was held for Taiwan and afterward the Taiwanese leader met with Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

On Monday afternoon, Tsai left Honduras and arrived in adjacent Nicaragua, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency. At 6:30 p.m., Tsai met with President Daniel Ortega for a summit that took place quickly and without giving prior notice to Taiwan's press corps, according to the reports.

Ahead of the meeting between Tsai and Ortega, there was speculation in Taiwan the Nicaraguan government was delaying confirmation of a date for talks, because the country was considering following the example of São Tomé and Príncipe, and cutting diplomatic ties with Taipei in favor of forging relations with China.

Some members of Taiwan's press corps have experienced difficulties in the countries.

One Taiwanese reporter posted a photo of a bill issued at the Real InterContinental Tegucigalpa hotel in Honduras, clearly showing "Taiwan, Province of China" next to the reporter's name, according to Central News Agency.

The hotel said the wording on the document was a mistake, according to the report.

Under its "one China" policy, Beijing does not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty.