Diplomatic relationship with Taiwan 'excellent': Belizean prime minister

Taipei, May 18 (CNA) Belize has an "excellent relationship with Taiwan," Belizean Prime Minister John Antonio Briceño said Saturday in Taipei after arriving earlier in the day on a visit to attend the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Monday.

Briceño told reporters he would rate Belize's diplomatic relationship with Taiwan "9.9" points out of 10.

The remaining "0.1" is for future improvement, he quipped.

The relationship will continue to strengthen as the years go by "because we firmly believe in the right to self-determination" as it was because of that belief that Belize became a nation in 1981, Briceño said, and he believed Taiwan deserves the same.

Belizean Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca, part of the delegation that traveled to Taiwan with the prime minister, called Belize's relationship with Taiwan "strong."

"It is very important for us to come to the inauguration of the new president and vice president. We look forward to a very good working relationship with the new [Taiwanese] government," Fonseca said.

Asked whether he would invite Lai to visit his country, the prime minister said he considers him "a friend," noting that when he met Lai in Honduras at the inauguration of Honduran President Xiomara Castro in January 2022, Lai invited him to the city of Tainan, which he visited about a month later.

"We've been in touch since and I'm happy that the Taiwanese people decided to elect him as the next president," he said, seeing Lai as someone who will continue to advance the development of Taiwan.

The delegation will meet Lai on Sunday, a day before the inauguration, according to the prime minister.

The Central American country is one of Taiwan's 12 diplomatic allies.