Guatemala City:Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, accompanied by Guatemalan President Bernardo Ar©valo, visited several Taiwan-funded projects in Guatemala, including an upgraded international airport and a planned cancer hospital, as part of a trip to strengthen ties with the Central American ally.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lin arrived in Guatemala on Wednesday night and participated in the eighth Guatemala-Taiwan Joint Economic Cooperation Conference and Investment Forum the following day. The Taiwanese delegation, comprising 30 business representatives, aimed to bolster economic ties in areas such as green energy, smart transportation, artificial intelligence, and healthcare.
On Friday, Lin and President Ar©valo inspected the enhanced La Aurora International Airport, where Taiwan's contributions included upgrading surveillance equipment, public address systems, and cloud storage systems to improve safety for passengers and staff.
They also visited the proposed site for the Dr. Lucrecia Hern¡ndez Mack Specialized Cancer Hospital. Named after Guatemala's first female health minister, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 2023, the hospital will feature two four-story buildings with facilities for radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and specialized medical care. Construction is set to begin before the end of the year and aims to serve 6,000 patients annually.
Lin's visit is part of a larger diplomatic initiative that began on September 27, including stops in Belize and plans to visit Arizona for the opening of Taiwan's new representative office before returning to Taiwan.