Belize and Taiwan to sign new agreement on human trafficking
H.E. David Wu, the Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan – which sometimes goes by the name Chinese Taipei when participating in certain international organizations and events, such as the Olympics, is concluding his 4-year tour of duty in Belize.
“I will remember this beautiful country always,” Wu told the media.
He said that he had an “amazing” experience in Belize, which he described as “a unique country.” He added that he has enjoyed the support, friendship and goodwill he experienced in Belize.
Ambassador Wu returns to Taiwan for a few days before being transferred to New Zealand. He invites Belizeans to stay in touch, and for those who may end up visiting New Zealand during his tenure there, he invites them to touch base with him.
Ambassador Wu is 62, and intends to retire at the end of his New Zealand assignment and enjoy traveling expeditions with his wife, Annie Wu.
Belize is among 22 countries which have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Those relations have seen Belize support Taiwan in international forums such as the United Nations, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
During Wu’s tenure, bilateral relations with Belize were also strengthened with new initiatives in skills training and information and communications technology (ICT). Meanwhile, Taiwan continues its technical agricultural mission at Central Farm, Cayo.
The Ambassador said that Taiwan has just launched an art skills training project for primary schools here, and they hope to expand that project across Belize. He said that they have also collaborated in the field of medicine with partnerships between Taiwan and Belize’s Ministry of Health.
One of the main areas of collaboration between Belize and Taiwan is education. Ambassador Wu said that he encourages youth to apply for scholarships to study in Taiwan. He told us that 260 Belizeans have been trained under the program, and this year 24 more scholarships are being provided to Belizeans. Taiwan has also invited scholars to serve as visiting professors in Taiwan.
During his tour of duty in Belize, Ambassador Wu has also connected with the Taiwanese community in Belize.
“We have now about 600 Taiwanese people living in Belize. They are law-abiding people and we try to help them to develop their business here and to increase trade between Taiwan and Belize,” Wu said.
Belize and Taiwan intend to sign a new free trade agreement which Wu said should boost trade between the parties.
We also asked Ambassador Wu whether he is concerned about information published in the 2014 US Trafficking in Persons Report, which signaled a problem with forced labor in Asian restaurants and shops here in Belize, which was downgraded this year to tier 2 watch list status.
The Ambassador told us that he is indeed concerned about human trafficking, but went on to assert that Taiwanese citizens in Belize are “law-abiding.”
He informed us that Belize and Taiwan intend to sign a new agreement to address human trafficking concerns.
Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse will soon visit Taiwan for the signing of that agreement between Taipei and Belize, the Ambassador told us.
“We are very concerned about this irregularity,” he said, adding that it is not just a national security issue but it is a humanity issue.
Ambassador Wu is due to leave Belize on Saturday, July 12, 2014. H.E. Benjamin Ho, who had previously served in Belize as First Secretary in the late 90s and who is serving as Director General in Taiwan’s Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, will be the new Ambassador for Taiwan in Belize. Ho is due to arrive with his wife, Jennifer, on Friday, July 18, 2014.