Politics
10:13, 04-Dec-2018
Chinese President Xi calls for closer cooperation with Panama in connectivity
Updated
09:34, 07-Dec-2018
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela to strengthen collaboration between the two countries in various fields, particularly in the area of connectivity.
President Xi made the remarks while meeting with Varela in Panama during his state visit to the country on December 3.
During the talks, Xi spoke highly of the achievements made in bilateral cooperation in the past one and a half years since the two sides established diplomatic ties, stressing that the decision has been and will continuously be proven to be correct and beneficial to the people in both countries.
He said one important consensus reached between the two leaders is that people must be placed at the center of a country's development, which will also be a guidance for the future cooperation between China and Panama.
China is willing to keep a close high-level exchange with Panama, Xi said, while commending Panama's resolute support for China on major issues including Taiwan.
Xi also confirmed the role of the Panama Canal in global economy, saying China respects Panama's sovereignty over the canal and accepts that the canal is a permanently neutral international transit waterway.
China supports Panama in playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs, Xi added.
In the meeting, Xi emphasized the prospect for both countries to work on connectivity.
Noting Panama's National Logistics Strategy 2030 is highly compatible with China's Belt and Road Initiative, Xi called on both sides to cooperate more in areas like finance, tourism, logistics and infrastructure.
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Key projects in railway, education and medical treatment should be implemented to accelerate connectivity, according to Xi.
As the second biggest user of the Panama Canal, China will further optimize cargo collection and transportation in collaboration with Panama, so that the canal could better serve China's participation in global trade, the Chinese president said.
He also expressed China's willingness to carry forward talks on a free trade agreement.
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Xi also encouraged more Chinese financial institutions to set up branches in Panama.
Varela echoed Xi's proposals on further bilateral cooperation and thanked China for its support for Panama's economic and social development.
He reiterated Panama's adherence to the one-China policy and appreciation of Xi's idea of building a community with shared future for mankind.
Varela said Panama is all for the Belt and Road Initiative, and looks forward to fortifying cooperation in investment, ports and transportation, and free trade zones, with China.
Panama is ready to become a gateway and link between China and the Caribbean and Latin American region based on its own advantage, Varela stressed.
Both leaders have witnessed the signing of a series of cooperative agreements in fields like e-commerce, trade in services, financing, and technology.
In the meantime, China and Panama have issued a joint communique, reinstating the consensuses reached during the bilateral talks between Xi and Varela, while laying out plans for further collaboration in specific areas.
The document states that China has declared Panama as one of the destinations for China's outbound tourist groups, which is expected to boost the country's tourism.
The Panamanian side mentioned the feasibility study conducted by China and Panama for the construction of a high-speed train between the Panamanian capital and the border with Costa Rica, saying it looks forward to its timely completion.
The two sides have also expressed their readiness to exchange experience on humanitarian aid, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and youth empowerment.