BEIJING: China on Friday (Feb 7) said it “regrets” Panama’s decision to withdraw from Beijing’s Belt and Road infrastructure programme after the Latin American nation ended its participation in the project in a concession to Washington.
“Beijing regrets Panama’s decision,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, urging Panama to “consider the broader bilateral relationship and the long-term interests of both nations” and “resist external interference”.
Since winning the US election in November, President Donald Trump has refused to rule out the use of force to seize the canal built by Washington over a century ago and later handed over to Panama.
Around 40 per cent of US container traffic passes through the narrow body of water linking the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
Beyond the tolls paid, Washington has appeared chiefly concerned about Chinese investment in the 80km long canal, which handles five per cent of global maritime trade.
The country’s President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday confirmed that Panama had pulled out of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure programme.
