It's been a whirlwind 6-day tour of the Americas for Taiwan's President Tsai-Ing Wen.
The tour - which will last 10 days - was designed to shore up support from Taiwan's last remaining Central American allies, Belize and Guatemala while solidifying Taiwan's status in the minds of U.S. leaders amid significant geopolitical uncertainty.
And following two days in Guatemala, President Tsai landed in Belize yesterday.
7News was live from that arrival ceremony and here's the recap of the President's first 5 hours in the country on this, her second official trip to Belize.
President Tsai Ing-Wen arrived in Belize yesterday at the halfway point of her 10-day Americas trip.
She arrived in a striking China Airlines 747, ornate with a cherry blossom on its tail wing.
On the tarmac just before Greeting the governor General President, Tsai was welcomed by a Belizean bouquet carried by the most junior of goodwill diplomats.
And after those initial greetings, President Tsai Ing-Wen reviewed the BDF troops and stood in the dais for both the Taiwanese and Belizean National Anthems.
But then it was off to the Biltmore and dinner for Taiwanese Belizeans who were proud to host their president in what has become their new homeland. That included artist Yaoling Lee who was bubbling over with pride.
Yaoling Lee, Taiwanese-Belizean
"I am overwhelmed, you see I am so excited and nervous, usually, I am talking about my paintings but tonight it's a different occasion. It is the first time I've participated in this kind of event and I feel so proud and so happy I think it's so wonderful to have the President of Taiwan visit Belize, you know so. She, the Taiwanese government is helping, and assisting a lot of small business entrepreneurs but especially by the women in Belize. So, I am a woman so I am especially excited about that."
Cherisse Halsall:
"How do you feel about the fact that despite countries leaving Taiwan as allies Belize always stays strong with Taiwan?"
Yaoling Lee, Taiwanese-Belizean
"I believe so and I think it is not only by talking it's what we do toward two countries together andI. Think we have been excited to see that the Taiwanese government is assisting the development of a lot of projects in Belize and so that makes sense that we stay strong."
And promptly at 6:00, the President entered the dining hall to give the first speech of this trip, delivered in Mandarin.
But before she could take to the podium there was a bit of fast-paced precision prep involved.
She is expected to spend 2 nights in Belize.
Tsai first visited Belize in 2018.
