President Ma Ying-jeou engaged in a series of activities on his second day in Belize on May 29. At 8:15 in the morning local time (10:15 p.m., May 29, Taipei time), the president departed his hotel and traveled a one-hour distance by car to Belmopan City to pay a visit to Governor General of Belize Sir Colville Young. After that meeting, President Ma headed to the National Assembly where he was presented a key to the Belize capital of Belmopan by Mayor Simon Lopez, after which President Ma delivered a speech.
An earthquake occurred at 2:00 a.m. in the seas off of Honduras, and Belize was rattled by the tremor, so President Ma immediately called a meeting of high-level officials traveling with him, including National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco H. L. Ou to understand the situation and be briefed on the latest happenings. President Ma also wanted to be sure that everyone in his delegation was safe. After being informed that no serious injuries were reported in friendly or allied nations in the region, the president continued with his scheduled itinerary.
Upon arriving at the National Assembly, President Ma received rousing applause and greetings from Belize children. After receiving the key to the city, the president delivered remarks in English, expressing his appreciation to the Belize government for the warm reception afforded to his delegation. The president also stated that he served as Taipei City Mayor for eight years and in the past has presented keys to the city to foreign guests on a number of occasions. As a result, he said he feels deeply honored and happy to receive this key to the city. This gesture also symbolizes the close friendship between the two countries, he said.
President Ma was then escorted to the National Assembly chamber by Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the speakers of the two houses, after which he delivered an address in English.