Belize Prime Minister John Briceño, who is on a five-day visit to Taiwan, said Wednesday that his country supports Taiwan’s right to be fully recognized by the international community.
Speaking at an award ceremony at the Presidential Office, Briceño said Taiwan, like Belize, should be able to peacefully coexist with its neighbors and participate in international organizations.
“In the name of the Belizean people, I proudly proclaim that we believe that the people of Taiwan have the right to live in peace as a nation, fully recognized by the international community,” Briceño said.
At the ceremony, the prime minister was awarded the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon by President Tsai Ing-wen (???), for his role in enhancing ties between his country and Taiwan.
“This honor is another tangible symbol of the unbreakable bond beyond our countries and peoples,” Briceño said, in accepting the award.
Belize and Taiwan, which have had diplomatic relations for 32 years, “will continue to work closely for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” Briceño said
In turn, Tsai thanked the Caribbean ally for advocating for Taiwan’s international participation, and she expressed the hope that they would continue to support each other and cooperate closely to “create a more stable and prosperous future.”
The award ceremony took place after Tsai welcomed Briceño and his delegation with a military salute outside the Presidential Office Building and held a closed-door meeting with the Belizean leader.
According to a press statement issued by the Presidential Office, Tsai told Briceño during the meeting that Taiwan was looking forward to deepening its cooperation with Belize in areas such as trade, investment, healthcare and women’s empowerment.
Briceño arrived with his delegation Tuesday on his first visit to Taiwan since he took office as prime minister in November 2020.
During the five-day visit, Briceño will also meet with Premier Su Tseng-chang (???) and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (???) and participate in a Belize business opportunity forum, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel