The Republic of Guatemala’s Vice Foreign Minister Julio Eduardo Orozco Pérez arrived in Taiwan on Monday. Based on the press release issued by Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry detailing his trip's itinerary, it is clear that the focus is to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Trade between the two nations has notably declined, with the total trade value between Taiwan and Guatemala dropping by 8.04% last year. In the first half of this year, comparing figures for the same period, trade values have fallen by 30.87%.
According to the Foreign Ministry’s agenda, Orozco’s scheduled meetings include calls to the Economic Affairs Ministry, Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), the Overseas Investment & Development Corp, and the Taiwan Textile Federation.
Taiwan’s government aims to leverage Guatemala’s geographical advantages to create a mutually beneficial industrial cooperation model. In March of this year, the Foreign Ministry collaborated with the Taiwan Textile Federation to organize a delegation visit to Guatemala, where the two countries' textile federations signed a memorandum of understanding. The Guatemalan textile federation is also scheduled to visit Taiwan later this year.
Guatemala is one of the 12 countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Although the Guatemalan government has expressed interest in establishing formal trade relations with China, it has stated that it intends to maintain its diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. The Foreign Ministry also reaffirmed Taiwan-Guatemala relations, saying that the relationship has lasted over 90 years and remains close and friendly.