The national flag of the embassy of our country in Honduras and the national flag of Honduras.

(Reuters file photo)

[Reporter Yang Chengyu/Report from Taipei] My country in Honduras, a Central American country, announced the severance of diplomatic relations with me on the 26th, and my country immediately announced the termination of diplomatic relations with Hongguo.

In response to China’s claim that it is willing to accept all Hongguo scholarship students, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Yongjian responded to inquiries today (28th). It may reduce the impact on Hongguo students.

Liu Yongjian emphasized that Taiwan is a free, democratic, and open society, while China is a totalitarian, closed society that does not allow freedom of speech.

Which society is conducive to learning, "the answer is very clear".

According to the Statistics Office of the Ministry of Education, the total number of Honduras students studying at National Taiwan University in the 111 academic year was 359, including 220 foreign students formally studying for a degree, 138 Chinese students, and 1 exchange student.

Among them, the number of Taiwan scholarship students provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is 104. In addition, there are currently no students studying in Hongguo.

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In response to the Chinese Foreign Ministry's criticism on the 27th that "the 'Taiwan authorities' are accustomed to using money diplomacy", Liu Yongjian refuted at a regular press conference that my country does not engage in money competition with the other side.

Taiwan's foreign aid model is project-oriented, with the purpose of benefiting the local government and people.

my country will continue to uphold the above foreign aid principles, fulfill its international responsibilities, and give back to the international community.

Liu Yongjian pointed out that the 82-year friendship between Taiwan and Hongguo was lost to the "money diplomacy" of the other side.

Historically, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights are the trend of the times, and even more so, the trend of history. Any action that goes against the trend of history is doomed to end in failure.