On the afternoon of September 13 (local time), Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-Cheng visited Orange Walk, Taoyuan’s sister city in Belize. Mayor Ladrick Sheppard of Orange Walk personally led a delegation of city officials and council members to welcome the Taoyuan delegation, presenting Mayor Chang with the key to the city. Mayor Sheppard expressed his pleasant surprise at Mayor Chang’s visit, noting that the two cities had only established their sister-city relationship in May, and yet by September, Mayor Chang had already made the trip—a clear testament to Taoyuan’s strong commitment to their friendship. Mayor Chang, in turn, extended an invitation for Mayor Sheppard to visit Taoyuan and highlighted Belize’s efforts in preserving its natural environment and promoting indigenous languages, saying these were practices Taoyuan could learn from. He expressed confidence that the two cities would have more opportunities for collaboration in the future.
Mayor Chang also mentioned that Taoyuan’s Department of Education organizes international summer camps every year, and that there could be opportunities for cooperation in the future. Whether by inviting students to Taoyuan for English or Spanish exchanges, or even by holding the camps directly in Orange Walk, such initiatives would broaden students’ global perspectives. He also noted that Orange Walk is home to Lamanai, the largest Mayan ruin in Belize and a key site for ancient civilization tourism. The town’s strong emphasis on ecological preservation and the protection of native languages are models that Taoyuan could emulate.