TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Both candidates leading the opinion polls in the Nov. 30 presidential elections in Honduras want to restore diplomatic relations with Taiwan, reports said Friday.

Incumbent President Xiomara Castro ended more than 80 years of official ties with Taipei in 2023 by switching to China. She is not allowed to stand for a second term, while the candidate of her party, Rixi Moncada, placed third in a recent poll, Bloomberg reported.

Former Vice President Salvador Nasralla topped a poll in October, with former Tegucigalpa Mayor Nasry Asfura coming second. Both candidates have said the official ties with China failed to bring the Central American country any benefits in the form of added investment or a larger export market.

When Castro opened ties with Beijing, there was talk of Chinese funding for a hydroelectric dam and of a free trade agreement, but both projects stalled, according to Bloomberg. Taiwan used to be the largest market for Honduran shrimp, but the diplomatic switch was followed by a drop in seafood exports.

If Nasralla or Asfura wins and restores relations with Taiwan, it would be a rare victory for Taipei, the report said. Taiwan has 12 official allies, mostly Latin American, Caribbean, and Pacific island nations. Having a country drop Taiwan and then switch back just two years later would be a diplomatic coup. 

The opposition candidates also want to engage in closer relations with the US and abandon the previous president’s stance in favor of Venezuela. President Donald Trump has reportedly identified Asfura as his favorite candidate.