Taiwan, Belize ink agreements on aviation, economic cooperation

2020/10/06

Taiwan and Belize recently concluded agreements on aviation and economic cooperation, spotlighting government efforts to strengthen bilateral ties while enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oct. 1.
 
The Agreement on Economic Cooperation was signed Sept. 30 by Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua and Belize Minister of State Tracy Taegar-Panton. The accord will facilitate trade by reducing tariffs, promoting investment and advancing technical cooperation, the MOEA said.
 
 According to the MOEA, Taiwan-Belize trade amounted to US$7.51 million in 2019. The new pact will boost mutual benefits by enabling Taiwan manufacturers to increase industrial goods exports to Belize while opening local markets to agricultural products imported from the Central American ally, the ministry added.
 
 The accord followed the signing of an Open Sky Air Services Agreement by Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan’s minister of Transportation and Communications, and Jose Manuel Heredia, Belize’s minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sept. 28. The pact allows designated airlines to operate unlimited passenger and cargo flights between Taiwan and Belize via any intermediate points, the MOTC said.
 
 The agreement will expand airlines’ international networks and provide opportunities to collaborate through code-sharing, the ministry added.
 
 According to MOFA, the pacts—along with the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters also concluded in September—springboard off of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations celebrated by the two countries last year. Taiwan and Belize share the universal values of democracy, freedom, human rights and rule of law, the MOFA said, adding that the government will continue to work closely with the Central American ally going forward.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)