TAIPEI, Taiwan — A high-level visit from Belize is putting renewed focus on Taiwan’s expanding partnerships with its diplomatic allies, as Belize’s Minister of Public Service and Disaster Risk Management, Henry Charles Usher, wraps up a five-day trip aimed at learning from Taiwan’s experience in civil service development, disaster preparedness and emerging technology.
Usher and his delegation visited Taiwan from August 19 to August 23, meeting with government officials and touring institutions involved in public-sector training, education and emergency response. The delegation’s itinerary included civil service training institutions, the Ministry of Education, disaster-response facilities and a firefighter training center, as well as the Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robot Show.
The visit comes as Taiwan and Belize continue to deepen a relationship that has spanned 37 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1989.
Taiwan Shares Its Disaster-Response Experience
During a meeting with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, Usher discussed areas where Taiwan’s experience could offer practical lessons for Belize, particularly in strengthening government capacity and disaster resilience.
Taiwan is frequently affected by earthquakes, typhoons and other natural hazards, making disaster prevention and emergency preparedness an important part of its public administration. Usher’s visit to training and emergency-response institutions reflects Belize’s interest in learning from those systems while exploring broader cooperation in education and technology.
The two sides also discussed strengthening higher education, disaster education and youth exchange. According to reporting on the delegation’s meeting with Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, 299 Belizean students were studying in Taiwan during the 2025–2026 academic year, including students pursuing degree programs and Mandarin-language studies.
A New Push for Skills and Workforce Development
One of the most significant developments highlighted during the visit is Taiwan’s planned Taiwan Caribbean Academy, a proposed initiative involving cooperation with the University of Belize.
The program is expected to bring Taiwanese teachers and expertise to Belize in areas including tourism and hospitality, nursing and healthcare, food and nutrition, and smart agriculture and fisheries. The goal is to connect education and skills training more directly with employment and development needs.
Taiwan has also been encouraging businesses to explore investment opportunities in Belize while seeking to expand imports and trade with the Central American nation. Previous bilateral exchanges have included discussions on trade, investment, scholarships and tourism development, underlining that the partnership extends beyond traditional diplomatic engagement.
“A Trusted Development Partner”
Usher, who previously visited Taiwan 27 years ago, expressed appreciation for Taiwan’s long-term assistance in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure and education, according to Taiwan’s foreign ministry reporting. He described Taiwan as a trusted development partner and noted the changes he had witnessed since his earlier visit.
For Taiwan, the visit also carries broader diplomatic significance. Belize is one of Taiwan’s diplomatic partners, and Taipei has increasingly emphasized practical cooperation with its allies—from education and healthcare to technology, trade and climate resilience.
Recent initiatives have also expanded Taiwan’s economic engagement with diplomatic partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. In July, Taiwan launched an expanded Latin American and Caribbean Trade Office designed to support trade and investment ties with six diplomatic allies, including Belize.
Why This Visit Matters
While the visit may not dominate international headlines, it highlights a larger strategy taking shape behind the scenes: Taiwan is increasingly using expertise, technology and development cooperation to strengthen its relationships around the world.
For Belize, access to Taiwan’s experience in disaster management, public-sector training and technological development could support long-term national resilience. For Taiwan, successful partnerships with countries such as Belize provide an opportunity to demonstrate its role as a practical and reliable international partner.
As Usher’s delegation concludes its Taiwan visit, the biggest question is what comes next: how quickly can these discussions turn into concrete programs that deliver results for people in both countries?
The proposed Taiwan Caribbean Academy and expanding cooperation in disaster preparedness could offer the answer—and potentially mark the next chapter in a partnership that has already lasted nearly four decades.
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