Which country recently formally established diplomatic relations with China?

Original title: What are the considerations for establishing diplomatic relations between Panama and China?

Xinhua News Agency, Mexico City, June 12, by reporter Li Wenqing.

Panamanian President Alejandro Varela announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with China in a national televised speech on 12 local time. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi also held talks with Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister De Saint Malo. After the talks, the foreign ministers of the two countries signed the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between People's Republic of China (PRC) and Panama.

Analysts believe that the establishment of diplomatic relations with China marks a new era in relations with this distant Central American country.

"This will bring benefits to the two peoples."

On June 26th, 20 16, the cargo ship Panama of China Ocean Shipping Group became the first ship to pass through the expanded new Panama Canal. Today, nearly a year later, China announced the formal establishment of diplomatic relations with Panama.

"China has always played an important role in Panamanian economic development. At present, China has become the second largest user of the Panama Canal and the largest supplier of goods in the Cologne Free Trade Zone of Panama. At the same time, Panama has also become an important gateway for many large American enterprises to enter the American market. I firmly believe that the two countries have the best opportunity to further strengthen. " Panamanian President Valera said in a televised speech on June 5438+02.

Varela said that he has asked the Panamanian government to sign cooperation agreements with China in the fields of tourism, commerce, immigration, agriculture, education and maritime affairs as soon as possible, so as to lay a solid foundation for the establishment of mutual trust, mutual respect and win-win bilateral relations. "I believe that the establishment of diplomatic relations between Panama and China will bring benefits to the two peoples and benefit the next generation."

Panama has a land area of over 70,000 square kilometers and a population of over 4 million. Although the country is small, it is famous for the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal connects the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the important shipping waterways in the world. Nearly 6% of the world's trade and transportation passes through the canal every year, so the canal is known as the "global trade barometer". Panama has become one of the world's aviation and shipping hubs because of its geographical location connecting North and South America and the existence of canals.

Natural diplomatic decision

Although China and Panama are far apart, their friendship goes back to ancient times. It has been 160 years since the earliest China people arrived in Panama. China laborers who came to Panama in the early days participated in the construction of Panama Railway and Panama Canal, and paid hard sweat and even the price of their lives for these two world-famous projects.

Many China people choose to settle in Panama. According to statistics, the total number of overseas Chinese living in Pakistan now exceeds 654.38+500,000.

Since 1996, China and Panama have established trade development offices with each other. According to the statistics of China Customs, the bilateral trade volume between China and Pakistan in 20 16 was 6.383 billion US dollars. China mainly exports light industry and textiles, fuel oil, rubber and plastic shoes, computer and communication products, and imports fish meal, scrap metal, cement and leather.

Wang Peng, secretary-general of the Center for Central American and Caribbean Studies of the Latin American Institute of the China Academy of Social Sciences, said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the friendly exchanges between China and Panama have a long history, and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries came naturally. With China's participation in the process of globalization, China's economic and trade relations with North American and Latin American countries are developing continuously, and China's attraction in the political and cultural fields is also increasing. Therefore, the Panamanian government is more and more willing to establish diplomatic relations with China.

Yuan Dongzhen, deputy director of the Latin American Institute of the China Academy of Social Sciences and executive director of the Central American and Caribbean Research Center, said that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan is normal, an inevitable result of the expansion of China's influence and the inevitable result of China-Latin America cooperation and development; The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan is also very important, which will enhance the comprehensiveness of China-Pakistan relations and boost the overall cooperation between China and Latin America. Besides the economic and trade fields, after the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries will have closer cooperation in the political field and international affairs.

The establishment of diplomatic relations has created new opportunities for cooperation.

Wang Peng believes that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Panama will create more favorable conditions for the docking and cooperation between the two countries.

At present, Panama's economy has maintained a trend of sustained growth. The main extension project of Panama Canal has been completed, but the corresponding expansion of canal supporting facilities is under way. The Canal Authority expressed the hope to expand the canal again as soon as possible. China has the advantages of personnel and technology in infrastructure construction, which meets the needs of Panamanians for infrastructure development. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan will bring more cooperation opportunities for the two countries in infrastructure construction.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan is also conducive to various financial cooperation between the two countries. Panama is famous for its open financial industry, and banks from many countries in the world have branches here. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China will facilitate Pakistani financial institutions to set up branches in Panama.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan has also broadened the channels for capacity cooperation between the two countries. Panama is an important international trade transshipment base. The Panamanian government intends to build corresponding industrial parks around the port to promote industrial development. China has rich experience in this field and obvious advantages in personnel and technology.

In addition, He Wei, an associate researcher at the School of International Studies of Sun Yat-sen University, pointed out in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that Panama plays an important role in Latin American affairs and is a member of important regional organizations such as Latin American and Caribbean countries and the Organization of American States. Establishing diplomatic relations with China is conducive to strengthening friendly relations with Latin American regional organizations.