Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) attended a gala celebrating the 42nd anniversary of Belize’s independence on Thursday evening in Taipei. During his speech, Chen expressed his gratitude for Belize’s support for Taiwan since the two countries established bilateral relations in 1989.
Chen says in the past 34 years, Belize and Taiwan have collaborated on many issues, including regional security, trade, and education. He says Belize has been an important ally voicing support for Taiwan in international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Chen mentioned the thriving exchanges in trade between the two sides since the Agreement on Economic Cooperation (ECA) between Taiwan and Belize took effect in 2022. That same year, Belize’s export value to Taiwan grew by 317% over the previous year, according to Chen.
Chen says that President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) visit to Belize in April and Belize Defense Minister Florencio Marin Jr.’s visit to Taiwan in June demonstrate the friendship between the two nations.
Belize Ambassador to Taiwan Candice Pitts said in her speech that Taiwan was Belize’s 10th largest trading partner last year. She also thanked Taiwan for its contributions to Belize in the fields of public health, infrastructure, and education.