Taiwan's FM visit upgraded airport, cancer hospital project in Guatemala

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo visited several Taiwan-funded projects during Lin's trip to the Central American ally, including an upgraded international airport and a planned cancer hospital, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Sunday.

Lin arrived in Guatemala on Wednesday night (local time), and the following day, he and his delegation, which included 30 Taiwanese business representatives, attended the eighth Guatemala-Taiwan Joint Economic Cooperation Conference and Investment Forum to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

According to MOFA, the business delegation represented sectors including green energy and smart transportation, artificial intelligence, space technology, biotechnology, health care, tourism, finance and trade.

On Friday, the Guatemalan president joined Lin in inspecting several major Taiwan-funded projects in Guatemala, including the upgraded La Aurora International Airport and a planned cancer hospital, MOFA said in a statement.

According to the ministry, Taiwan helped upgrade the airport's surveillance equipment, such as cameras, as well as its public address systems, and cloud storage systems, to enhance the safety of passengers and staff.

Lin and Arévalo also visited the designated site for the planned Dr. Lucrecia Hernández Mack Specialized Cancer Hospital.

The hospital is named after the late physician, who was Guatemala's first female health minister. She died of ovarian cancer in 2023.

According to Lin and Arévalo, construction of the new hospital will begin before the end of this year.

The hospital will comprise two four-story buildings with a total construction area of more than 15,000 square meters. It will house facilities for radiotherapy, chemotherapy, outpatient consultations, diagnostics, specialized operating rooms, inpatient care, and post-procedure intensive care.

Once operational, the facility will serve 6,000 patients annually.

Lin's trip began on Sept. 27 when he departed Taiwan for Belize and Guatemala with a business delegation to enhance bilateral ties and economic cooperation with the two Central American allies.

A diplomatic source told CNA that Lin, after departing Guatemala, is expected to arrive in the U.S. state of Arizona on Saturday evening (local time) to attend the opening of Taiwan's new representative office in Phoenix, meet officials and visit Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s factory there before heading back to Taiwan.