Jaushieh Joseph Wu
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
January 21, 2022
(As Delivered)
Ladies and gentlemen:
Buenos días and Buenas tardes to our dear friends in Guatemala!
I'm honored to attend this ceremony organized by the Embassy of Guatemala, celebrating the opening of the Guatemalan Commercial Counsellor Office. It is very meaningful to witness this event together with Minister Brolo and Deputy Minister Chen. The establishment of the Commercial Counsellor Office is a clear sign of the unwavering diplomatic partnership and close economic ties between Taiwan and Guatemala. This has been a new milestone in our bilateral exchanges.
Guatemala is a key ally for Taiwan in Central America, and our bilateral relations are marked by profound friendship. Under the efforts of our two governments, the bilateral cooperation and exchange in trade and investment have been further promoted. For instance, since we signed our Free Trade Agreement in 2006, the total value of bilateral trade has more than doubled, from 134 million US dollars to 295 million US dollars. Last year the value of Guatemalan exports to Taiwan even grew 15 percent, making Taiwan become the fourth-largest market in Asia for Guatemala. Furthermore, the signing of our Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Authorized Economic Operators in May 2021 has provided a framework for imports and exports to clear customs faster, creating a competitive niche for goods and enterprises.
Taiwan and Guatemala have also implemented numerous cooperative projects in such areas as start-up SMEs, tourism, agriculture, jointly advancing Guatemala's industrial transformation and economic development. As a staunch partner to Guatemala, Taiwan will continue making contributions to Guatemala's national development and public welfare.
Today, it's a great pleasure to see the Commercial Counsellor Office set up to assist Taiwanese enterprises in getting to know Guatemala's business environment and exploring investment opportunities. I also learn that the newly appointed Commercial Counsellor, Mr. Hugo Sanic, is a former recipient of Taiwan Scholarship. With Counsellor Sanic's knowledge and understanding of Taiwan, I firmly believe he will make a great success in facilitating trade exchanges and deepening bilateral ties.
Finally, with the joint efforts of Ambassador Gómez and the Central America Trade Office, we look forward to the fruitful outcomes achieved by the Guatemalan Commercial Counsellor Office to strengthen bilateral trade, investment, and tourism links between Taiwan and Guatemala. We also encourage Taiwanese businesspeople heading to Guatemala with confidence as they seek to develop potential business opportunities and drive bilateral industrial growth.
In closing, I wish today's event the very best of success.
Muchas gracias!