Premier Su Tseng-chang on Wednesday received a Belizean delegation led by Prime Minister John Briceo and his wife. Our two countries share a firm friendship and have cooperated in various fields for many years, the premier said. Prime Minister Briceo has moreover spoken out in support of Taiwan many times in international settings, vigorously advocating Taiwan's participation in international organizations and activities. Under the global crisis of the pandemic, the Taiwanese people have been able to maintain their normal lives, while the economy and other areas have continued to develop. Thus, we hope the delegation will take Taiwan's experiences from the pandemic and pass them forward to the international community, so that we can provide assistance and contribution to the world.
Taiwan and Belize are geographically quite distant, the premier said, but both our countries strive to take care of our citizens and share universal values such as democracy, freedom and the rule of law. The friendship between us has thus stayed very solid for many years. Under Prime Minister Briceo's leadership, Taiwan and Belize have collaborated in promoting the people's welfare, national development, agricultural infrastructure, education and culture. We are heartened to see the results of these developments.
Premier Su pointed out that Prime Minister Briceo has spoken in support of Taiwan many times at the United Nations General Assembly, World Health Assembly and various international organizations, expressing great support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations and activities. Because Prime Minister Briceo's principled stance on this matter has provided enormous help for Taiwan's involvement in international arenas, the premier took this opportunity to express his heartfelt gratitude.
While the world has suffered the devastating effects of COVID—whether in economy, tourism or public safety—the people of Taiwan have not only enjoyed a normal life but also seen continuous growth in our economy and other areas. I believe our guests will see it for themselves during this visit, the premier said, and pass on the message of Taiwan's hard work and experiences to international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, to allow Taiwan to contribute and help the world.
The premier also expressed admiration to First Lady Rosanna Briceo for her contributions to promoting children's welfare, women's rights and other important causes in Belize. Premier Su said Taiwan similarly promotes gender equality, children's rights, women's issues and other policies with great vigor, and is the best-performing country in Asia in terms of gender equality. He expressed hope today's meeting will help both sides to exchange ideas on these and other topics and enhance mutual cooperation.
The Belizean delegation also included Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration Eamon Courtenay; Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology Francis Fonseca; Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise Jose Mai; Cabinet Secretary and Chief of Staff Stuart Leslie; and Trade and Investment Ambassador Jaime Briceo.