Taiwan foreign minister arrives in Guatemala on five allies trip

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) arrived in Guatemala Thursday, his first stop on an 11-day trip that will take him to five of Taiwan's Caribbean and Latin American diplomatic allies.

In a Facebook post, Lin -- on his first visit to Taiwan's diplomatic allies since assuming the top diplomat post on May 20 -- said he and his wife, together with a governmental delegation, arrived in the Central American country earlier morning of Thursday, local time.

Upon arrival at Guatemala City's La Aurora International Airport, his delegation was welcomed by Guatemalan Vice Foreign Minister Julio Eduardo Orozco Pérez, Lin said in the Facebook post.

During the delegation's stay in Guatemala, Lin said he will meet with President Bernardo Arévalo and Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez.

The ongoing Guatemala trip is his third visit to the Central American ally, Lin said, adding that he visited Guatemala as deputy secretary-general to then President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in 2008; and in 2023 as secretary-general to then President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

The Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan's official name) established diplomatic relations with Guatemala in 1934, when the ROC government was still based in mainland China.

Lin embarked on his first trip to ROC diplomatic allies as foreign minister late Wednesday and is scheduled to return on Nov. 2.

Appointed as President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) special envoy, Lin will also visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines to attend the country's 45th Independence Day celebrations Oct. 27, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

In addition, Lin will make stops in St. Lucia, Belize and St. Kitts and Nevis, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with leaders and high officials, as well as witness the results of cooperative projects, MOFA said in a press release.