Taiwanese delegation arrives in Belize
In terms of financial aid there is no country more important to Belize at this point in our history than the Republic of China on Taiwan. The Government of that industrious island has loaned and granted funds for everything from housing to farming and even fronted us cash to help balance our beleaguered budget. Today a high powered delegation from Taiwan arrived in the country to see first hand where all those millions were going. News Five’s Stewart Krohn caught up with the delegation’s deputy leader, Hsu Chen-Kwen as he attended a working luncheon with the Belize-Taiwan Chamber of Commerce.
Hsu Chen-Kwen, Deputy Leader, Taiwanese Delegation
“We understand that with the ah, about five thousand Chinese living in Belize and we want to come here to see how they, how they live here. And ah, see if there is anything we can help them from Taiwan. We also we want to visit ah, the Belize Government in congress and to see if ah, any cooperation we can make ah, between Taiwan and ah, Belize.”
“Mr. Hsu, over the last several years Taiwan has become the largest single source of development aid for Belize, the biggest single benefactor ah, do you think there is such a thing as two countries being too close?”
“Ah, I think there is never anything like two countries too close. We hope to me more close, closer. You know, I mean we, we need, we need friends in Central America and ahm Belize as an important friend for us and we also want to help our people, you know, who come to Central America to make some investment and also to help the local economy. Because based on Taiwan’s development in the economy I think that we can ah, provide some experience for developing country like Belize.”
While Taiwan may be a source of experience, the arrival of such a large number of its citizens has also been a source of friction with the local population. Hsu says he is aware of the problem and hopes that relations will improve in the future.
Hsu Chen-Kwen
“One of our purpose here is to, is to find defects because we also read in the newspaper in Taiwan and ah, I think it is inevitable because of the difference of culture, also ahm, the experience, you know, here is different. So we hope that our embassy here can help our people here to try to live together with the, the Belize people. Because after all they don’t just come here to live for six months or none year. I think more sometimes they want to, ahm to live here. So to try to live ah, cordially with local people is very important for our people here.”
The Taiwanese delegation totals twenty two members and includes legislators from the country’s major political parties. On Thursday they will meet in Belmopan with their Belizean counterparts before departing for Costa Rica.
