China urges Panama to ‘make right decision’ after it announced its Belt and Road exit
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Panama has formally presented a document to exit the Belt and Road Initiative, President Jose Raul Mulino said on Feb 6.
PHOTO: AFP
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BEIJING – China expressed regret on Feb 8 over Panama’s intention to leave Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), urging the Latin American nation to “make the right decision”.
Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan met Panama’s ambassador to China and lodged solemn representations, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Mr Zhao said Beijing deeply regrets Panama’s decision
“It is hoped that Panama will eliminate external interference and make the right decision based on the overall situation of bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples,” the statement said.
On Feb 7, China said it opposed to US “smearing and sabotage” of the BRI in Panama through “pressure and coercion”, after Panama decided to exit the programme.
At a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China deeply regretted Panama’s decision.
“We hope that Panama will make the right decision,” he added.
Panama has formally presented a document to exit the BRI, President Jose Raul Mulino said on Feb 6, after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in February, but denied that the United States had sought the move.
More than 20 Latin American nations are among the over 150 countries that have participated in the BRI, with results that have benefited their people, Mr Lin said.
China introduced the initiative in 2013.
In November 2017, Panama became the first Latin American country to officially join the BRI, five months after switching diplomatic ties to China from Taiwan, the democratically governed island that Beijing claims as its territory.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Panama has ceded control of the Panama Canal to China, an accusation both nations deny. REUTERS
