Taoyuan inks sister-city pact with Belize’s Orange Walk Town

2024-05-20

Taoyuan has a new sister city. Last Saturday, it formalized a partnership with Orange Walk Town in Belize, one of Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies. The ceremony was attended by Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng and the prime minister of Belize, John Briceno. Orange Walk Town is Taoyuan’s 36th sister or friendship city, and its first in Central America. The two cities plan to have close exchanges in agriculture, culture, and tourism.

Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng and Belize Prime Minister John Briceno seal the deal with a handshake, as cameras rush to capture the moment. The two of them strike a playful pose to celebrate a new sister-city relationship.

Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan mayor
Most importantly, Belize and Taoyuan both very much value ethnic integration. We feel that in this day and age, ethnic integration is a very important component of a nation’s soft power.

Taiwan and Belize have maintained diplomatic ties for 35 years, since 1989. Now Belize’s Orange Walk Town has become Taoyuan’s 36th sister or friendship city. It’s the third sister city signed during Mayor Chang’s tenure, and the first in Central America.

Besides being an important industrial city, Taoyuan is also flourishing in other sectors. At the signing ceremony, the mayor presented an original work by an Atayal artist and gift boxes symbolizing the circle of life. In the future, the two cities plan to deepen exchanges in agriculture and tourism. Chang said he would like to visit Belize, and the prime minister touted his nation’s festivities.

Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan mayor
We hope that this September, during the Independence Day of Belize, we can organize a group to go to Belize and participate.

John Briceno
Belize prime minister
In Orange Walk Town, we have the biggest celebration. It’s more like a carnival. …And also to be able to have a better and clearer understanding about Orange Walk Town and also how we can forge the relationship between both cities.

Briceno and his delegation are visiting Taiwan to attend the presidential inauguration. He said he hoped the new sister-city relationship would bring close exchanges in agriculture, culture, and tourism.

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再簽姊妹市貝里斯橘道鎮成桃園第36個締結城市

2024-05-20

桃園再度締結新的姊妹市，貝里斯與我國建交已經長達35年，上週六(5/18)在貝里斯總理布里仙諾的見證下，桃園與"橘道鎮"，正式成為姊妹市，除了是桃園第36個締結城市之外，也成為中南美洲中，第一個姊妹市，雙方未來將針對農業、文化，以及觀光資源，進行深度交流。

一同拿起簽約本，桃園市長張善政與貝里斯總理，握手合影留念，見證桃園姊妹市再加一，現場還俏皮比出手指愛心。

[[桃園市長張善政]]
“最主要的是貝里斯和桃園，都是非常強調族群融合的城市，那我們覺得說，這個年頭族群融合，是一個國家最重要的軟實力”

台貝1989年正式建交，已長達35年，如今貝里斯橘道鎮，成為桃園第36個締結城市，除了是張市長任內簽署的，第三個姊妹市，也開啟前進中南美洲的，第一站。

桃園除了是工業重鎮區外，也積極拓展各方發展，送上泰雅族畫家創作的圖畫，以及意旨生生不息的禮盒，希望未來能與農業及旅遊業聞名的橘道鎮，有更深入的實際合作，對於張善政提到，希望有機會能組團到訪，貝里斯總理也大推，當地經典活動。

[[桃園市長張善政]]
“我們也希望說今年九月，貝里斯獨立紀念日的時候，我們桃園有機會組團到貝里斯去參加這個活動。”

[[貝里斯總理布里仙紐]]
“我們在橘道鎮有最大的慶典，像嘉年華，可以藉著活動更了解我們城鎮，未來也可以更進一步地推進關係”

貝里斯總理等人此次訪台，參與正副總統就職典禮，也期盼兩市未來在農業、文化及觀光資源等方面緊密交流。

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