Taipei, July 22 (CNA) A Taiwan trade delegation recently visited Belize to explore opportunities for boosting bilateral trade and investment and jointly tackling the problem of plastic waste, the Taiwan Embassy in Belize said Friday.
During the five-day visit, the Taiwan delegation was briefed by Narda Garcia, chief executive officer in Belize's Prime Minister's Office, on a series of incentive programs her country has rolled out to attract foreign investment in its post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery, the embassy told CNA.
Belize could be a hub for Taiwan investors seeking to enter other markets in Central America and the Caribbean, Garcia told the delegation, touting her country's strategic location in the region and its distinction as the only native English-speaking nation in Central America, according to the embassy.
The delegation, led by Augusto Liao (廖鴻達), executive-director of the government-affiliated Central America Trade Office (CATO), also engaged in several rounds of trade talks that included a proposal to link Taiwan seafood companies with Belize seafood farmers, the embassy said.
During the July 13-17 visit, the delegation's discussions touched on the possibility of introducing Taiwan's sparkling drinks and other creative beverages into Belize, one of Taiwan's 14 diplomatic allies, according to the embassy.
Meanwhile, in meetings between the delegation and Belize's ministries of Sustainable Development and Climate Change and other relevant authorities, the two sides committed to engaging in sustainable business practices in the seafood industry and discussed joining forces to recycle plastic waste in oceans and rivers, according to the embassy.
Taiwan and Belize have had diplomatic relations since 1989.
