The ambassador of the Asian nation in Panama, Xu Xueyuan, described in an article published in the newspaper La Estrella de Panamá, that development is a common priority for both countries.

In that sense, he indicates that there is a huge space for cooperation that as part of the Belt and Road initiative- from which the administration of José Raúl Mulino withdrew this year-, allowed bilateral trade to grow from six billion 380 million dollars in 2016 to 12 billion 840 million in 2024.

It also notes that Chinese direct investment in Panama increased from 270 million dollars in 2016 to 1.4 billion in 2023, with Beijing being the main supplier of the Colon Free Zone and the second largest user of the Panama Canal.

Nearly 200 Chinese companies operate in Panama, generating tens of thousands of jobs. China has provided technical training to more than 8,800 Panamanian professionals from various sectors, offering substantial support to the country’s talent development, the report notes.

On the other hand, it underscores the solid social support of these ties, since in the Central American nation there are more than 300,000 members of the Chinese community, representing seven percent of the total population.

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