Guatemala City, May 30 (CNA) Taiwan will step up its cooperation with Belize in the fields of agriculture and fishing, Republic of China Foreign Minister Francisco Ou said in Guatemala City Saturday.

Details of the cooperation will be worked out by both sides after a team of Taiwan experts visit the Central American country, Ou said.

The foreign minister said the cooperation was agreed upon by ROC President Ma Ying-jeou and Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow during talks they held in Belmopan, the capital of Belize, where Ma arrived May 27 on the first leg of a three-country diplomatic tour to Central America.

Ou, who is part of a 158-member delegation accompanying Ma, told journalists that Belize has development potential in the areas of agriculture and fishing, but lacks the necessary technology.

He said Barrow asked for Taiwan’s assistance with his country’s efforts to develop into a regional rice exporter and fishing industry stronghold, and Ma gladly agreed to help.

In response to questions from Taiwanese reporters on whether aid extended by Taiwan to its allies is used in an appropriate manner, Ou said Taipei will deliver future aid in phases rather than in lump sums in order to better monitor its use.

He also cited Ma as saying that such aid would be better provided in the form of technology transfers rather than cash.

Ma and his 158-member delegation, who traveled to Guatemala from Belize May 29 for the second leg of his trip, was scheduled to leave Sunday for El Salvador. (By Huang Rei-hung and Maubo Chang)