Taiwan and Guatemala are expanding their cooperation in trade and infrastructure, good news for companies in both countries and a boost to Taiwan's diplomatic footing in Central America.

• Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung led a business delegation to Guatemala, where he witnessed the launch of three cooperation projects covering electric buses, carbon credit purchases and investment matchmaking.
• Chuang Yi Energy signed a letter of intent with Guatemalan bus body maker ROSMO, taking Taiwan's electric bus industry into the Central American market.
• Kubole signed a letter of intent on carbon credit purchases with a Guatemalan farmers' organisation, allowing Taiwanese companies to obtain carbon credits through bamboo forest projects.
• Chunghwa Telecom has set up its first Latin American office in Guatemala and will help Guatemala's finance ministry build a sovereign cloud backup data centre.
• Taiwan and Guatemala are also advancing the construction of a specialist cancer hospital, the opening of an emergency response centre at the capital's airport, and a design study for widening the northbound section of the CA-9 highway.

Outlook: basic design work on the cancer hospital is expected to be completed shortly, with construction to begin thereafter, and Taiwan-Guatemala cooperation projects in electric buses, carbon credits and cybersecurity are set to come on stream one after another.