Honduras and China commemorated on Monday, March 24, the second anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the subscription in Tegucigalpa of a exchange of notes for a preparatory technical study of three assistance projects in the areas of health and agriculture.
The document was signed by the Honduran Chancellor, Eduardo Enrique Reina, and the Chinese ambassador to Honduras, Yu Bo.
As indicated by the Honduran Foreign Ministry in a statement, through cooperation projects, the country will receive 298 ambulances, tools for agricultural pruning and solar dryers for coffee cultivation.
This exchange of notes supports the policies promoted by President Xiomara Castro with the establishment of eight new hospitals. The 298 ambulances will be allocated to each of the country’s municipalities, which will allow the population to access the health system, explained the chancellor.
The agreement was signed two days after two years of the announcement of opening diplomatic relations, on March 26, 2023.
The equipment for agricultural pruning will be available in 15 of the 18 departments of the country, which will generate temporary employment for approximately 10,000 people and benefits for numerous producers, Reina added.
The Chinese ambassador affirmed that the agreement is another sample of the positive fruits of bilateral cooperation and the tangible benefits achieved, especially on the eve of the second anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
He added that “China firmly supports the Government of Honduras in their path of socioeconomic development.”
Hondurans shrimp producers expect better treatment
After two years of the restoration of relations between the two countries, Honduran producers of Camarón – mainly the little ones – regret that China has not bought their product in the expected amounts.
In this regard, the Honduran Chancellor told Efe that China “was very fast” by allowing shrimp entry with phytosanitary measures.
Additionally, an early harvest agreement was signed, which allows the Honduran shrimp accessing the Chinese market with zero tariff, said Reina.
He added that there are still market issues that must be addressed, such as prices competitiveness, which also requires support, in aspects such as the cost of energy, food and concentrates used in shrimp farms.
“We are looking to work to support shrimp producers in which they reduce these costs and make the product more competitive, because although at quality there is an important niche of the Honduran shrimp in many countries, competitiveness is complex, especially with countries such as Ecuador, due to its low costs,” he said.
The diplomat added that Honduras exports coffee to China, a product that “has very good acceptance”, and on which purchase agreements have been signed between Honduran producers and cooperatives with the Chinese market.
The last agreement was signed with several companies, for about 10 thousand tons of Honduran coffee that will import China.
Other products that are opening market in the Asian country are the melon – which already received phytosanitary authorization – and tobacco, among others, according to the chancellor.
Reina also stressed that Honduran exports to China have increased in these two years in more than 30 % compared to what was exported to Taiwan.
“So the commercial relationship with China is having a good way. In addition, we are working a lot in the cooperation area,” he added.