Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Dwindling allies: On the loss of Honduras ties leading to Taiwan’s isolation on the world stage

Dwindling allies: On the loss of Honduras ties leading to Taiwan’s isolation on the world stage

Taiwan is facing pressure as China’s relations with the United States deteriorate (बिगड़ना, नष्ट करना)

By formally establishing (स्थापित करना) diplomatic (कूटनीतिक, राजनयिक) relations with China on March 26, 2023, Honduras has joined a growing (प्रगतिशील) list of countries that have recently switched recognition (मान्यता) from Taipei to Beijing. Taiwan now has only 12 countries, besides (इसके अलावा) the Vatican, with which it has diplomatic ties, including four small Pacific island nations, Eswatini in southern Africa, Paraguay, and six central American and Caribbean nations. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who signed the communiqué (विज्ञप्ति, शासकीय सूचना) with his Honduran counterpart (समकक्ष) Eduardo Reina, said it showed Honduras made “a choice to stand on the right side of history...”. Taiwan has accused (अभियोग लगाना, आलोचना करना) Honduras of seeking (ask for, request, appeal for) financial assistance as a precondition (पूर्व शर्त) to continue relations, and President Tsai Ing-wen said, after the switch, that Taiwan “will not engage (participate in, take part in, become involved in) in a meaningless (व्यर्थ, उद्देश्यहीन) contest of dollar diplomacy (international politics, foreign affairs, foreign policy; negotiations, discussions, talks, dialogue (related to international politics)) with China”. She also accused China of “persistently (लगातार) [using] any and all means (method ,way, measure, procedure) to suppress (crack down on, clamp down on, repress, overpower, crush, conquer; prevent, halt, destroy, stifle, obstruct, impede) Taiwan’s international participation, intensify its military intimidations (धमकी)... and disrupt regional peace”.

The switch by Honduras (a country in Central America), as well as Taiwan’s concerns about its shrinking (lessen, reduce, decrease) international space, point to (indicate, suggest, signify, signal, denote, reveal) the growing stress (तनाव, दबाव) on the current status quo (the present situation, the current state, the existing state of affairs) across the Taiwan Strait (it is a 180-kilometer strait (waterway) separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia (precisely southeastern coast of mainland China)). The status quo has generally served both sides across the strait (a narrow sea passage (connecting two seas); channel, stretch of water, waterway) well, preserving (protect, defend, maintain, taken care of) peace against tall (huge, large, lofty) odds. In Taiwan, a thriving (flourishing, burgeoning, booming, prospering, successful, buoyant) democracy with a highly developed economy, the status quo remains the popular choice for most people, according to numerous public opinion surveys. A minority support Taiwan declaring independence or unification (merger, integration, joining) with China. However, both Beijing and Taipei (The capital and largest city of Taiwan) have been accusing the other of changing this status quo. In Taipei’s view, Beijing has exerted (apply, use, utilize, deploy (a force/influence/control)) growing diplomatic pressure to isolate Taiwan as well as stepped up military muscle-flexing (showing power or strength (figuratively)), as seen in exercises ((military) training, drill, opration) that surrounded the island last year following the visit of then U.S. House Speaker (The US Constitution established the role of Speaker of the House, which oversees the lower chamber of Congress. At a practical level, the Speaker sets the House’s legislative agenda, controls committee assignments, sets the vote and work calendar, and is responsible for keeping their party members unified behind major initiatives) Nancy Pelosi. In Beijing’s view, the ruling DPP in Taipei, with the support of Washington, bears (take responsibility for, support, sustain, shoulder, absorb, take on) responsibility for the tensions (strained relations, strain, unease) by pursuing (engage in, take part in, be occupied in, participate in (an activity)) de facto (actual, existing, real, existent, effective) independence. Beijing had warmer relations with the previous KMT regime, with a landmark (milestone, watershed, historic event, major achievement) meeting between leaders Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou in 2015. The Xi government has warned the U.S. that Taiwan remains a red line (boundary, limit) for China, but with worsening relations between the two countries, Taiwan has yet again emerged as a friction point (area in conflict; friction area), as seen by the Pelosi visit last year. Beijing continues to refuse to rule out (exclude, eliminate, reject, dismiss, disregard) the use of force for what it calls reunification, should Washington or Taipei cross what it sees as a red line. The tussle (fight, clash, quarrel, argument, contention) between the world’s two biggest powers has left the 23 million people of a vibrant (spirited, lively, high-spirited, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, exciting, passionate, fiery, determined) and prosperous (thriving, flourishing, successful, burgeoning, booming) island caught in the middle (in a difficult situation; in an unpleasant position).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.isolation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - एकांत, अलगाव
English Meaning - alienation, estrangement, separation, disaffection, turning away, hostility.

2.deteriorate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बिगड़ना, नष्ट करना
English Meaning - (gradually) decline, degenerate, undermine, weaken, spoil, erode, destroy.

3.establish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थापित करना
English Meaning - form, set up, start, begin, initiate.

4.diplomatic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कूटनीतिक, राजनयिक
English Meaning - relating to diplomacy; consular, foreign-policy, political.

5.growing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रगतिशील
English Meaning - increasing.

6.recognition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मान्यता
English Meaning - (formal) acknowledgement, acceptance, admission (of a statehood).

7.besides (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - इसके अलावा
English Meaning - in addition, furthermore, moreover, further.

8.communique (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विज्ञप्ति, शासकीय सूचना
English Meaning - official communication, official announcement message, statement, report, press release, bulletin, missive, advisory.

9.counterpart (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समकक्ष
English Meaning - someone or something that has the same job or purpose as another; equivalent, equal, fellow.

10.accuse (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अभियोग लगाना, आलोचना करना
English Meaning - blame for, criticize for, denounce for.

11.precondition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्व शर्त
English Meaning - prerequisite, necessary condition, requirement, imperative.

12.meaningless (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - व्यर्थ, उद्देश्यहीन
English Meaning - pointless, futile, purposeless, valueless.

13.persistently (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - लगातार
English Meaning - continuously, constantly, steadily, relentlessly.

14.intimidation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - धमकी
English Meaning - threatening, frightening, menacing, terrifying, scaring, domineering, browbeating, bullying, pressurizing, coercion, harassment, tormenting.

15.stress (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तनाव, दबाव
English Meaning - pressure, tension; strain, worry, difficulty, trouble.

16.dwindle (verb)

English Meaning - diminish, decrease, reduce gradually.

17.ally (noun)

English Meaning - a country/state with an alliance with another one in which they promise to support each other militarily and to defend each other.

18.Honduras (proper noun)

English Meaning - a country in Central America.

19.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

20.lead to (verb)

English Meaning - result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.

21.switch (verb)

English Meaning - change, move, shift, divert, redirect.

22.make a choice (phrase)

English Meaning - to select, to choose, to decide.

23.Taipei (proper noun)

English Meaning - The capital and largest city of Taiwan.

24.seek (verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, appeal for.

25.engage (verb)

English Meaning - participate in, take part in, become involved in.

26.diplomacy (noun)

English Meaning - international politics, foreign affairs, foreign policy; negotiations, discussions, talks, dialogue (related to international politics).

27.dollar diplomacy (noun)

English Meaning - it is a diplomacy used by a country to promote its financial or commercial interests abroad. Dollar diplomacy (1909-1913) is the term applied to American foreign policy under President William Howard Taft and his secretary of state, Philander C. Knox, to ensure the financial stability of Latin American and East Asian countries, while also expanding U.S. commercial interests in those regions.

28.mean (noun)

English Meaning - method ,way, measure, procedure.

29.suppress (verb)

English Meaning - crack down on, clamp down on, repress, overpower, crush, conquer; prevent, halt, destroy, stifle, obstruct, impede.

30.shrinking (verb)

English Meaning - lessen, reduce, decrease.

31.shrinking (adjective)

English Meaning - lessening, reducing, decreasing.

32.point to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - indicate, suggest, signify, signal, denote, reveal.

33.status quo (noun)

English Meaning - the present situation, the current state, the existing state of affairs.

34.Taiwan strait (noun)

English Meaning - it is a 180-kilometer strait (waterway) separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia (precisely southeastern coast of mainland China).

35.strait (noun)

English Meaning - a narrow sea passage (connecting two seas); channel, stretch of water, waterway.

36.serve well (phrase)

English Meaning - promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to.

37.preserve (verb)

English Meaning - protect, defend, maintain, taken care of.

38.against all odds (phrase)

English Meaning - if yo do/achieve something against all odds, you do/achieve it despite (it) appeared impossible or very unlikely.

39.tall (adjective)

English Meaning - huge, large, lofty.

40.thriving (adjective)

English Meaning - flourishing, burgeoning, booming, prospering, successful, buoyant.

41.unification (noun)

English Meaning - merger, integration, joining.

42.exert (verb)

English Meaning - apply, use, utilize, deploy (a force/influence/control).

43.step up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - increase, intensify; quicken, speed up, accelerate.

44.muscle-flexing (noun)

English Meaning - showing power or strength (figuratively).

45.exercise (noun)

English Meaning - (military) training, drill, opration.

46.Congress (noun)

English Meaning - legislative assembly, parliament; The United States Congress is the bicameral (two chambers) legislature of the federal government of the United States, and consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

47.House of Representatives (noun)

English Meaning - The United States House of Representatives, usually referred to as the House, is the lower house of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper house.

48.Senate (noun)

English Meaning - the upper house or chamber in some bicameral legislative systems. (for example in the US).

49.U.S. House Speaker (noun)

English Meaning - The US Constitution established the role of Speaker of the House, which oversees the lower chamber of Congress. At a practical level, the Speaker sets the House’s legislative agenda, controls committee assignments, sets the vote and work calendar, and is responsible for keeping their party members unified behind major initiatives.

50.bear (verb)

English Meaning - take responsibility for, support, sustain, shoulder, absorb, take on.

51.bear responsibility for (phrase)

English Meaning - be responsible for.

52.tensions (noun)

English Meaning - strained relations, strain, unease.

53.pursue (verb)

English Meaning - engage in, take part in, be occupied in, participate in (an activity).

54.de facto (adjective)

English Meaning - actual, existing, real, existent, effective.

55.warmer comparative adjective of warm (adjective)

English Meaning - friendly, affable, amiable, cordial.