The Belizean House of Representatives on Friday passed a motion, for the first time since it established diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1989, to express its support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
The motion was proposed by Belizian Prime Minister John Briceno.
It marked the first time that the House of Representatives of the Caribbean ally adopted a motion in relation to Taiwan’s participation in international affairs in more than three decades.
Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Republic of China (Taiwan) in Belize via CNA
The motion states that the House “expresses its full support for Taiwan’s participation in all related international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Health Assembly, the International Criminal Police Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.”
“Taiwan is an indispensable part of the global community, and Taiwan can play and has played a critical role in the world,” the motion said, adding that Taiwan had exhibited generosity and made contributions to other countries in recent years.
The motion said in particular that Taiwan had assisted Belize in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by providing the Caribbean nation with medical supplies and personal protective equipment, among other needs.
The donations made by Taiwan demonstrated its commitment to helping its allies and international partners in times of crisis, it said, adding that the country is “a faithful ally and development partner” to Belize.
“For these 33 years of friendship, Belize and Taiwan have continuously supported and helped each other, and closely cooperated in numerous areas, ranging from infrastructure, medical and public health, agriculture, sustainable environment, information and communication technology to culture and education,” it said.
Taiwan’s embassy in Belize said in a statement the same day that the motion stood as testimony to the strong relationship between Taiwan and Belize.
Diplomatic relations between the countries remain robust, and bilateral trade ties are likely to be further bolstered given the ratification of an economic cooperation agreement on Jan. 15, the statement said.
It added that Taiwan would continue working with Belize in the hope of fostering more collaborations that would benefit the people of the two countries.
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