On Wednesday, October 30th, Taiwanese Foreign Minister His Excellency Dr. Lin Chia-lung concluded his official visit to Belize with a stop in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. His government is financing the construction of the San Pedro and Caulker General Hospital. During this visit, Dr. Chia-lung, accompanied by his delegation and Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize, Her Excellency Lily Li-wen Hsu, received a construction site tour to assess the progress. They were also joined by Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez, Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez, Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Able Francis Fonseca, and Prime Minister Honorable Dr. John Briceño.
The special site visit began with a brief welcome ceremony at the Victoria House Resort. Shortly after 9AM, the briefing commenced, with Mayor Nuñez delivering the opening remarks. He highlighted the challenges island families encounter during medical emergencies when they need to be transported to the mainland. 
“This is not something that a world-class destination and our residents should have to endure,” he stated. “Through this partnership with the Republic of China (Taiwan), we are taking a meaningful step forward and making a commitment to every family, resident, and visitor,” Nuñez emphasized that this also represents a promise to islanders and visitors that once the hospital is completed, they will have access to much more reliable healthcare services.
Area Representative Perez reiterated that the new hospital will serve the communities of Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. He expressed gratitude to Foreign Minister Chia-Lung for his government’s commitment to collaborate with Belize on this project, which aims to benefit the country’s top tourism destination. “This hospital will serve approximately 30,000 people between Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker,” he stated. “It is being constructed with climate change in mind, ensuring a resilient structure capable of withstanding hurricanes,” Perez mentioned that construction progress is on schedule and expressed his happiness at being involved in a project that has been long overdue for the island.
The special occasion featured the presence of Belize’s Minister of Health and Wellness, the Honourable Kevin Bernard. He stated that the new project aims to enhance the well-being of everyone living on the island, including visitors. “Residents will no longer need to travel long distances for essential medical care,” he said. “This facility will provide accessible, high-quality healthcare right here in San Pedro, from emergency services and maternity care to routine check-ups.”
Bernard explained that over the years, many individuals from the Cayes have needed to be airlifted to the mainland for medical emergencies. This situation often leads to delays and significant costs for both patients and the government. The new hospital will have a highly qualified staff offering specialty care, internal medicine services, surgery, pediatric care, obstetric care, prenatal, postpartum, and postnatal services, and preventative care for children and other individuals.
Some of the surgical services available will address emergency conditions like appendicitis and gallstone removals. Internal medical specialists will also manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, allowing patients to receive treatment without leaving the island. Additionally, the services currently offered at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, such as maternal and child health, vaccination, public health education, vector control, dental care, laboratory services, and pharmaceutical care, will continue and be expanded to the growing population.
As the briefing ended, Foreign Minister Chia-lung delivered an address on behalf of the government and the people of Taiwan. “Once the San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital is completed, it will enhance the well-being of the local community and provide quality healthcare services, benefiting both residents and the tourists visiting the island,” Chia-lung stated. He emphasized that this project reflects his government’s commitment to the people of Belize and expressed anticipation for the hospital’s opening upon completion. Additionally, he thanked Belize for its unwavering support in advocating for Taiwan’s participation in international forums.
Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Briceño concluded the welcome ceremony by expressing gratitude to the government of Chia-lung for their ongoing support to Belize. He highlighted the importance of health, stating, “If you do not have healthy people, there will not be a strong population to develop the country.” He noted that one of the central pillars of his government is the expansion of the National Health Insurance program, which they aim to extend across the entire country. This initiative is designed to provide Belizeans with access to primary healthcare at an affordable cost. Briceño also committed to continuing his advocacy for Taiwan, emphasizing that the world could gain valuable insights from Taiwan if they were allowed to participate in international forums.
After the formalities, a site inspection was conducted to assess the progress of the hospital project. Chia-lung and his delegation were able to see the project’s foundation starting to take shape. According to the contractor, the construction is on schedule, with only minor delays caused by inclement weather in recent weeks. If everything proceeds as planned, the San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital is expected to be completed and ready to receive patients by January 2027.
Foreign Minister Chia-lung thanked everyone for the tour and their hard work. He left the country on Wednesday to continue his trip to St. Kitts and Nevis before returning to Taiwan.
Chia-lung’s visit to Belize began on Tuesday, October 29th, to commemorate 35 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Foreign Minister Fonseca hosted him in the capital city of Belmopan, where it was announced that Taiwan would finance the reconstruction of the Belcan Bridge in Belize City. Other countries included in Chia-lung’s tour are St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Guatemala. These nations are among the 12 remaining formal diplomatic allies of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
