Taiwan/Belize relations closer than ever
On Monday the Republic of China on Taiwan will celebrate its ninety-fourth birthday. To mark that milestone News Five’s Stewart Krohn sat down with Ambassador Charles Tsai to find out how the two countries, so far apart in so many respects, could wind up as such close friends.
Charles Tsai, Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize
“As you know, we have been supporting the Belizean government with a loan for a low cost housing project and we co-financed with I.D.B. to construct the Southern Highway, section two. That’s a ten million dollars loan to construct the Southern Highway. We also support the government to re-construct part Caracol. That was three million dollars to assist the government to bring in tourism. So we are very happy that we can support the Belizean government, something that is good for the people. My government, we are happy to give considerations here.”
Stewart Krohn
“But let me ask Ambassador, why? We know the level of assistance is tremendous, but why did we get to this point where so much of Belize’s development is dependent on Taiwan money?”
Charles Tsai
“No, I don’t think they are totally dependent on the Taiwanese money. I think, like before we also received U.S. aid to develop our country too, so I believe that we can extend some assistance; it’s always good for the development of a country. Belize and Taiwan have kept very close relations. As a friend, I believe we like to do something that we can work together with the government to do something good for the people and good for the country. I believe that the water company is good for the Belizean people and good for the betterment of the country.”
Stewart Krohn
“Ambassador, over the last few years, the People’s Republic of China on the mainland has exerted great pressure on a number of countries that have relations with Taiwan to break those relations and establish ties with the People’s Republic of China. With the growing economic power of Mainland China, are you afraid that one day Belize might switch its diplomatic allegiance?”
Charles Tsai
“I don’t think so, because as Ambassador I have been here more than five years now. I believe the Belizean people, the government, they are all very friendly to Taiwan. We treasure the friendship with those countries that we have diplomatic relations with. And we try to make those relations in a very excellent kind of way to strengthen those relationships in very cordial and very friendly terms.”
Taiwan’s latest favour to Belize was the loan of fourteen point nine million U.S. dollars to government to use as a down payment on the repurchase of Belize Water Services Limited. Belize is one of twenty-six nations that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while one hundred and sixty have opted to establish ties with the People’s Republic of China on the mainland.
