Diplomacy in dispute

Honduras cuts ties with Taiwan, U.S. objects

Jakob Polly pollyjak000@hsestudents.org

ollowing in the recent footsteps of Nicaragua, El Salvador and other Latin American nations, Honduras officially severed ties with the self-ruled island of Taiwan on March 26, opting instead to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under the ‘oneChina policy.’ In the midst of the transition, a U.S. state department spokesperson urged Honduras to reconsider, a move harshly condemned by critics and, most notably, the Chinese foreign ministry, who argue that the U.S. should “stop interfering in the sovereign affairs of relevant

Just as Honduras sought to do, the U.S. formally recognizes the PRC under the ‘one-China policy,’ a PRC policy that sees Taiwan as a part of mainland China, with its sole legitimate government located in Beijing. With this in mind, some see the U.S.’s stance towards Honduras as

“The U.S. recognizes the People’s Republic of China, so Honduras should be able to decide [whether to recognize the PRC] for themselves,” sophomore Yavuz Atlamaz said. “We are really only protecting our own

Although having not formally recognized Taiwan since 1978, the U.S. maintains strong economic and political ties to the island – ties that have only grown stronger in recent years.

Included in the statements released by the Chinese foreign ministry was a call for the U.S. to “abandon the oldfashioned Monroe Doctrine,” a chief element of U.S. foreign policy established by President James Monroe in 1823. In this declaration, he stated that “the American continents… are henceforth not to be considered as future subjects for American colonization by any European power.” In effect, Monroe had proclaimed that any foreign involvement in the Western hemisphere would be seen as an act of aggression against the U.S.

Since its proclamation in 1823, the Doctrine has been invoked numerous times, reasons for which are heavily disputed to this day.

“Over time [the Doctrine] has been molded into whatever the U.S. needed it to be,” world history teacher Beth Carson said. “It’s really just the way the U.S. conducts foreign policy.”

Initially meant to prevent further European colonization in the Americas, the Doctrine has come to be interpreted, reinterpreted and invoked in varying degrees. During his presidency from 1901-1909, Theodore Roosevelt added what is now known as the ‘Roosevelt Corollary’ to the Doctrine, greatly expanding the scope of direct U.S. involvement in Latin and South America.

“When Theodore Roosevelt announced the Roosevelt Corollary, that’s where you started seeing problems because you had the U.S. intervene militarily in Latin America,” U.S. history teacher Mark Worrell said.

During his presidency two decades later, Franklin Delano Roosevelt enacted what is now called the ‘Good Neighbor Policy,’ signaling another shift in the Doctrine’s interpretation and use. The primary goal of the policy was to encourage mutual cooperation and improve relations among the nations of the Americas. Despite these efforts, the effects of U.S. interventions have been hard for many to forgive.

“The long-term legacy of the Monroe Doctrine is really this Latin American animosity towards the United States,” Worrell said. “It’s viewed as ‘Yankee imperialism’... There are still some hard feelings.”

Some argue that in looking at the broader context of recent U.S. interventions, many of which influenced by earlier Monroe era policies, much of this animosity can be seen within the heart of the U.S. too.

“There are always certain events that increase xenophobia towards different cultures,” Atlamaz said. “If after the Sept. 11 attacks the U.S. hadn’t invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, I don’t think there would be nearly as much xenophobia towards Middle Eastern and Muslim people.”

Despite Chinese claims of the invocation of the Doctrine, it has not been officially invoked since the Cold War. Yet, Worrell maintains that the Monroe Doctrine remains a defining piece of ever-evolving U.S. foreign policy and still affects how the U.S. interacts with its neighbors today, as is seen in the situation with Honduras.

“China is actively trying to develop these kinds of relationships, but whether it’s a good or a bad thing history is going to tell us,” Carson said.