Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan Lodges Solemn Representations with the Panamanian side over its Plan to Terminate the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road[...]

On February 7, 2025, Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan met with Ambassador of Panama to China Miguel Humberto Lecaro Barcenas and lodged solemn representations with the Panamanian side over its plan to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Zhao Zhiyuan said, China deeply regrets Panama's recent announcement that it will terminate the MOU on the BRI. Under the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, China-Panama practical cooperation in various fields has developed rapidly and achieved a series of fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to Panama and its people. More than 150 countries have actively participated in the Belt and Road cooperation, and the outcomes have benefited people of many countries, including Panama. Backpedaling and "sailing against the wind" on the Belt and Road cooperation runs counter to the expectations of the Chinese and Panamanian peoples and is not in the vital interests of Panama.

Zhao Zhiyuan stressed that China respects Panama's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and holds that all countries, big or small, are equal, and should respect each other and honor their commitments. China firmly opposes the United States wantonly undermining China-Panama relations and smearing and sabotaging Belt and Road cooperation through the means of pressuring and threatening. China-Panama relations never target any third party and should not be disrupted by any third party. China hopes that the Panamanian side will eliminate external interruption and make the right decision while keeping in mind the overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the people of the two countries.

Miguel Humberto Lecaro Barcenas said that Panama attaches great importance to its relations with China and he will report to the Panamanian government immediately.