On the morning of March 17 (Belize time), President Ma Ying-jeou continued with his itinerary for a second day in Belize on his Central American trip codenamed the Forever Peaceful Project. In addition to riding bicycles in the morning with Belizean political leaders and breakfasting with members of the local expatriate community, the president also toured the Mayan ruins at Altun Ha.
At 6:00 in the morning (Taipei time: 8:00 p.m., March 17), President Ma and members of the delegation departed from the ROC embassy in Belize to ride bicycles with Belizean political leaders. After cycling past the Marion Jones Sports Complex, which was built with assistance from the ROC, the cyclists stopped for a group photo in front of a sign bearing the flags of the ROC and Belize as a memento of the friendship between the two countries. Before riding back to the embassy, President Ma presented bicycles as gifts to officials who took part in the ride including Belizean Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Education Patrick Faber, Minister of Human Development Anthony Martinez, and Former Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Santiago Castillo.
After finishing the bicycle ride, President Ma had breakfast with leaders of the expatriate community in Belize. In remarks, the president said he was happy to be visiting Belize once again seven years after his last visit, which coincided with a big earthquake. Fortunately, the earthquake did not cause a major disaster.
Since taking office in 2008, stated President Ma, he has pursued a policy of "viable diplomacy," and it has brought excellent results. One good example, in fact, was the "historically unprecedented" series of meetings he had on March 16 (Belize time) in Belize with four prime ministers (the prime ministers of Belize, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) for in-depth discussions on matters of shared concern.
President Ma pointed out that the ROC intends to act as a provider of international humanitarian aid. For example, he said, after Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake on January 15, 2010, an ROC rescue team departed from Taiwan within 12 hours of the tremor, and began rescue operations in the disaster area within the critically important 72-hour period immediately following the quake. This was the most successful overseas rescue operation ever for an ROC rescue team. In addition, after the massive earthquake that hit eastern Japan in 2011, the government and people of Taiwan donated generously, giving more than any other country. These deeds have put ROC diplomacy on a viable path, he said.
President Ma also indicated that the number of tourist arrivals in Taiwan has risen sharply, from 3.71 million before he took office to 10.43 million in 2015. The two biggest factors behind this increase, he said, are peace and greater openness in policy.
Commenting on the earthquake that hit the city of Tainan in southern Taiwan on February 6, President Ma told the expatriates that after the earthquake, rescue teams from many countries expressed willingness to come to Taiwan to help with the rescue effort, a good indication of the strong trust and friendship that Taiwan has built up with countries throughout the world. The work done by those on the front lines of the ROC's diplomatic corps is quite tough, but it is deeply meaningful and valuable from the standpoint of peace, humanitarian concerns, and charity, said the president, who added: "This is the best path for Taiwan."
Commenting on the establishment of diplomatic relations that same day (March 17) by Gambia and mainland China, President Ma stated that although Gambia had already broken off ties with the ROC two years and four months before, he still felt it quite inappropriate of the two countries to establish diplomatic relations at this point in time, and he therefore expressed strong displeasure over the matter.
President Ma also stressed that the ROC's diplomatic situation is difficult and we are apt to encounter problems, setbacks, and obstacles at any time, but he added that "it's up to us to save our own country," and further declared his firm conviction that "we are fully capable of doing it." Looking to the future, he expressed hope that expatriate communities and the government can work together, for that is the only way we can be "assured of success."
After finishing breakfast with the leaders of the Belize expatriate community, President Ma and the delegation visited the Mayan ruins at Altun Ha. Important during the Mayan period as a major religious ceremonial center as well as a trading hub and connection to the Caribbean Sea, the Altun Ha site today features 13 temples and two principal plazas. President Ma and the delegation climbed to the top of the Temple of the Sun God, where they had a magnificent view of the imposing remains left behind by the brilliant Mayan civilization.
The delegation then departed directly for Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport, where President Ma, accompanied by Governor-General Sir Colville Young, received a salute from a military honor guard, thus bringing the trip to Central America, codenamed the Forever Peaceful Project, to a successful conclusion.