Honduras and China begin negotiations on final phase of FTA

Photo: PhoenixTV.

The government of Honduras and the People’s Republic of China are due to begin the final phase of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both countries this week. In this last phase it is expected that details related to tariffs on imports of goods will be finalized. 

Investment, standardization and cooperation, schedules of tariff commitments, product-specific rules, and non-conforming measures in services and investment will also be addressed during this round. 

Negotiations are expected to take about two weeks, with the participation of the Honduran government’s Secretariat of Economic Development. Once concluded, the FTA will be signed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries and then sent to the Honduran Congress for final approval.

Agreements have already been reached in previous reounds of negotiation on aspects related to trade in goods, sanitary measures, cooperation in standards and conformity assessment, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation. In addition, investment, intellectual property, environment and trade issues have also been previously discussed, as well as economic cooperation.

The FTA with China consists of 22 chapters, with the last chapter covering final provisions on its entry into effect, modifications and termination of the agreement. The document will be aligned with the principles of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Honduras and China officially established diplomatic relations in March 2023, after Xiomara Castro’s government broke off relations with Taiwan.

Honduras seeks to export more than 20 products to China through the FTA, including shrimp, coffee, cocoa, melon, okra, pitahaya, sugar, lobster, jellyfish, sea cucumber, shrimp flour, fish flour, dried seaweed and mosses. 

Other products that Honduras expects to include in the agreement are lichens, sesame seeds, cigars, raw tobacco, palm oil, certain meat products, food preparations, spirits, apparel products and electrical harnesses, among others.

Since the establishment of official relations between Honduras and the People’s Republic of China, both countries have signed a series of agreements, including an agreement for the donation of US$280 million for the renovation of educational infrastructure in the Central American country.

Main source:

Honduras empezará a negociar última fase del TLC con China – La Prensa.