Panama withdraws from the Belt and Road Initiative

Lin Jian, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presided over a regular press conference on February 7. At the meeting, a foreign media reporter asked: Panama has officially withdrawn from the Belt and Road Initiative. The President of Panama said that he had proposed the decision to China 90 days in advance. This was also a decision made by Panama due to pressure from the United States. What is China’s comment on this?

Lin Jian said that China firmly opposes the United States’s actions of smearing and undermining the cooperation of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative through pressure and coercion, and deeply regrets that Panama has stated that it will not renew the memorandum of understanding.

Lin Jian further stated that the Belt and Road Initiative is an economic cooperation initiative. More than 150 countries, including more than 20 Latin American countries, have actively participated in the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, and the results have benefited people from all countries, including Panama. In recent years, China and Panama have achieved fruitful results in cooperation under the framework of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, which has continuously benefited the people of the two countries. It is hoped that Panama will make the right decision based on the overall situation of bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples, eliminate external interference, and make correct decisions.