On the evening of April 3 local time (morning of April 4 Taipei time), President Tsai Ing-wen attended a banquet hosted by Prime Minister John Briceño of Belize and a donation ceremony for San Pedro General Hospital.
After President Tsai was accompanied into the banquet venue by Prime Minister Briceño, the president and attendees watched videos documenting Taiwan and Belize's bilateral cooperation and their join efforts in erecting San Pedro General Hospital before witnessing the ceremonial handover of a model of the hospital.
A transcript of President Tsai's remarks follows:
Let me begin by thanking Prime Minister Briceño and Mrs. Briceño for hosting this lovely banquet. On behalf of our delegation, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Prime Minister and the government of Belize for the invitation and your hospitality. I recall receiving Prime Minister Briceño and his delegation in Taipei last March, when we discussed the possibilities for collaborative projects in Belize. Now, I am delighted to be here to personally witness our ideas becoming a reality.
The San Pedro General Hospital is one example of this reality, for which we signed the MOU in January this year. And we hope this facility fills the need for accessible, comprehensive medical services both for residents and visitors in Belize's most popular tourist destinations.
This afternoon, we paid a visit to the breeding sheep and goat production project, and saw how our technical cooperation is cultivating expertise in the agricultural sector. Such projects – based on the strong partnerships between our peoples, institutions, businesses, and governments – are concrete examples of Taiwan's commitment to the development of Belize, and we look forward to cooperating more in the future.
Our time in Belize has proven to be very rewarding and productive. And let me tell you, so far, I have not felt homesick yet. Earlier today, I had the opportunity to sit down with Prime Minister Briceño and other government officials to discuss our bilateral relationship. I also had the privilege of speaking on our strong and healthy partnership at the National Assembly, where I also received a copy of your House's motion that reiterates your support for Taiwan and our genuine friendship.
After today's packed schedule, I must say that all of us are looking forward to the delicious Belizean cuisine prepared for us tonight. As you might already know, we Taiwanese are big fans of tasty food.
So now, please join me in raising your glasses to Prime Minister Briceño and Mrs. Briceño, and to the enduring friendship between Belize and Taiwan. Our bonds are strong, and may they grow ever stronger!
