President Xi Jinping told visiting Honduran President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento during their meeting in Beijing on Monday that China will be a good friend and partner of Honduras and firmly support its economic and social development.

Honduras opened its embassy in Beijing on Sunday, less than three months after the Central American nation severed its diplomatic ties with Taipei. This heralds strengthened cooperation to serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples.

Castro is paying a six-day visit to China starting from Friday. During her visit, she is expected to sign a host of agreements. She has already reportedly expressed the hope that Honduras will achieve prosperity and development like Shanghai, where her China trip started, and said that Honduras will participate in the sixth China International Import Expo to be held in the city in November.

With half of its population living in poverty, Honduras faces the daunting task of developing the economy and improving the people's livelihoods. That Castro formally requested the country's admission to the BRICS-led New Development Bank headquartered in Shanghai during her stay in the city underscores the sense of urgency Honduras feels to create a better future for its people through sustained economic growth. China offers huge development opportunities to any country ready to expand cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. This makes Honduras' decision in March to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing a natural choice.

The one-China principle has the overwhelming support of the international community. By choosing to stand with the 181 countries in the world and recognizing and undertaking to adhere to the one-China principle, Honduras has followed the trend of the times and adapted to the reality.

As Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said at the embassy opening ceremony, the establishment of diplomatic relations with Beijing opens a new era in Honduras' relations with the world and offers a chance for Honduras to become a great and prosperous country.

China is willing to expand imports of Honduran specialty products, which include melons, shrimp and bananas, and encourage Chinese companies to invest in Honduras, participate in large-scale infrastructure construction in the country, and give priority to the implementation of projects benefiting people's livelihoods. China has also welcomed Honduras to join the Belt and Road Initiative, which has helped promote trade and investment and improved living conditions for people in the participating countries.

Mutually beneficial China-Honduras cooperation has a bright future.