It is a great pleasure to be back in Belize.
I want to begin by expressing my appreciation to Prime Minister [John] Briceño and the government of Belize for their warm welcome. Just in March last year, I had the privilege of receiving Prime Minister Briceño, Minister [of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration Eamon] Courtenay, and their delegation in Taipei. I am glad to see you all again today as we prepare to sign another agreement bolstering our bilateral cooperation.
Ever since we established diplomatic relations 34 years ago, Taiwan and Belize have worked closely together. While our joint efforts cover many more fields, on this visit we will witness our progress in education, agriculture, women's empowerment, and healthcare.
Later today, we will hold a ceremony marking our collaboration on the construction of the San Pedro General Hospital. This facility will improve healthcare services for local residents and tourists in some of Belize's most famous tourist destinations.
In addition to collaboration in the medical field, it could be said that among the many areas of our bilateral cooperation, education is one of the most enduring and impactful. In the past few years, we have seen young Belizeans continue to apply for scholarships to study in Taiwan. I am always heartened by how enthusiastic they are about education and recognize its importance for one's future.
In a moment, I will mark the handover of 5,000 laptops with Prime Minister Briceño. I hope these laptops make a difference to young Belizeans in their quest for knowledge, and help them realize their educational aspirations.
Prime Minister Briceño and I had extensive discussions on these two projects when he was in Taiwan last year. It is encouraging to see these projects taking shape in Belize.
In addition, technical projects are essential to bettering the lives of our citizens. Therefore, I am also delighted to bear witness to our foreign ministers' signing of an agreement that will streamline and strengthen our bilateral technical cooperation. I look forward to more cooperation in the many years to come.
In addition to our many collaborations, we are proud to call Belize, a fellow believer in freedom and democracy, our close ally. Just a few days ago, your House of Representatives passed a motion reiterating Belize's support and friendship for Taiwan.
On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I would like to take this opportunity to thank Belize for its strong support for Taiwan's democracy and international participation.
Both our ongoing projects and future commitments are signs of a bright future for our bilateral ties. I look forward to working closely with Belize to achieve our shared goals. May our collaboration continue to flourish, just as it has over the past 34 years.