TEGUCIGALPA - Honduras and China have signed a 6.8 billion lempiras ($275.99 million) cooperation agreement to help boost infrastructure for education establishments in the Central American nation, the Honduran government said in a social media post on Friday.

This is the first cooperation agreement between both countries, China's ambassador to Honduras said during an event.

Honduras and the Asian giant launched diplomatic relations last year, after the Central American nation ditched its longstanding ties with Taiwan in favor of mainland China.

Both nations have been negotiating a free trade pact and other projects relating to dams and power generation. REUTERS