Moderators Moderator_02 Posted November 24, 2018 Moderators Share Posted November 24, 2018 Quote China President Xi confirms Panama visit Posted on November 23, 2018 in Panama Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Panama City from December 2 to 3, said President Juan Carlos Varela on Thursday, November 22 during a tour of Metro Line 2 which is nearing completion. It will be the first official visit of a Chinese president to Panama, which opened diplomatic relations with the Asian giant in June 2017. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/china-president-xi-confirms-panama-visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Panama the new flashpoint in China's growing presence in Latin America A spat over the site of China’s embassy has underlined the strategic value of the canal – through which two-thirds of ships to or from the US pass Mat Youkee in Panama City @matyoukee Thu 29 Nov 2018 01.30 GMT Jutting four kilometres into the Pacific, the Amador causeway islands separate the concrete and glass skyline of Panama City from the soaring iron arch of the Bridge of the Americas – under which 40 cargo ships pass each day en route to or from the Panama Canal. Linked to the mainland by a slender causeway, these strategic outcrops are home to a handful of derelict buildings once used to house US military personnel. But they have become a new flashpoint in the global rivalry between Beijing and Washington, as the US struggles to develop a coherent strategy to deal with China’s rising influence in Latin America China’s plans to build a new embassy on the islands were derailed after US officials pressured the government of Panama’s president, Juan Carlos Varela, to withdraw its offer of a four-hectare plot, according to senior Panamanian and diplomatic sources. “Of course there was pushback from the US: they weren’t going to allow a huge Chinese flag next to the entrance to the canal,” a diplomatic source told the Guardian. “But local pressure was also important. Handing over that land to the Chinese would have been a hugely unpopular move by the Varela government.” Panama’s government has insisted that the decision was based on security and environmental concerns. But a previous plan to build a new Chinese embassy in the traditional diplomatic district of Panama City was also blocked by objections from Washington, and Beijing has now established a temporary mission in an office block. The incident may prove to be a pyrrhic victory for Washington, however. This weekend, the Chinese premier, Xi Jinping, arrives in Panama for a visit aimed at cementing ties with the Central American nation. It will be the first such visit by a senior Chinese figure since Panama cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan to open formal relations with Beijing in June 2017. Since then, the two countries have signed 28 diplomatic and investment agreements, a $500m renminbi-denominated “Panda” bond is expected before the end of the year and Chinese contractors have won major contracts for a port, convention centre and a new bridge over the canal. The growth of Chinese investment and influence in the country has been the source of growing unease in Washington. In July, the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, ended a visit to Panama with the warning that “when China comes calling, it’s not always to the good of your citizens”. He added that state-run Chinese firms often operated with political, rather than market-driven motives. Xi’s visit comes amid an escalating trade war between China and the US, which has highlighted Panama’s strategic importance as a pinch-point of world commerce. Two-thirds of ships to or from the US pass through the Panama Canal – which was an unincorporated territory of the US between 1903 and 1979 and was home to dozens of American military installations. “Recent rhetoric from Washington suggests the US has not accepted that the canal has shifted from being a military asset to a commercial one,” said Eddie Tapiero, a competitive intelligence specialist for the Panama Canal Authority and author of a new book on China-Panama relations. “The US has a decision to make: does it accept free trade in the Americas or does it revert to a cold war approach? The latter would be disastrous.” Negotiations for a free trade agreement between China and Panama are at an advanced stage; Panamanian officials say the country can benefit from its growing role as a regional logistics hub, build its exports to China and protect local farmers. “We will become the gateway for Chinese goods into Latin America,” the trade minister, Augusto Arosemena, told the Guardian. “I think Panama will be an example of how smaller countries can negotiate with China.” Meanwhile, the US has been caught flatfooted: diplomats were unaware of Varela’s decision to establish ties with Beijing until hours before its announcement and the state department has yet to name a replacement for John Feeley, who stood down as ambassador in March saying he was “honor bound” to resign rather than serve under Donald Trump. Wei Qiang, the Chinese ambassador to Panama, has dismissed the “apprehensive, fearful and jealous speculations” over his country’s intentions. “China’s world vision is one of dialogue and accommodation rather than confrontation, we have no option but to let the facts speak for themselves,” he said at a recent book launch. But in recent years, Beijing has shown growing interest in strategic infrastructure projects in the region: Chinese companies are involved in a project to build a rival interoceanic canal through Nicaragua and investigated the option of a “dry canal” railroad linking Colombia’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Some Panamanians are also wary of Bejing’s intentions, said Euclides Tapia, a professor of international relations at the University of Panama. “The Chinese are here for the long term – and they’ve come for the canal,” he said. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/28/panama-china-us-latin-america-canal?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR0Jgq74aeV2Vn-mXdW0geJ8lxboTYkc30NqcWeebsHUhAQQW995GVWtFLs While Trump eyes Latin America with malign neglect, China sees opportunity. Read more https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/08/latin-america-china-us-trump 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Very informative article. Thanks, Keith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 China's President Xi Jinping's visit to Panama is scheduled for the 2nd and 3rd. He will be arriving late Sunday night and getting the diplomatic tour on Monday. His limo has arrived early along with 220 motorcycles which will be donated to the National Police. https://twitter.com/RetenChiriqui/status/1068172850643783682 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted November 30, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted November 30, 2018 Quote Most sophisticated US warship in Panama during Xi visit Posted on November 29, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 350 When Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the Panama Canal, he is likely to see the most sophisticated warship in the world on the banks of the waterway: the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001). The presence of the vessel in Panamanian waters is officially sold as a reminder that Panama is a very important security ally of Washington in the region, but in other circles, it is considered a demonstration of muscles before the representative of Communist China says Critica. Its planned official inauguration is planned for January 26, 2019. The 610 feet ship, has a tumblehole hull with wave perforations, stealth design and is equipped with some of the most advanced combat technologies. The shape of the superstructure and the arrangement of its antennas significantly reduce the cross section of the radar, which makes the destroyer less visible to enemy radars. The destroyer of the Zumwalt class is powered by a complex electrical system, which includes two Rolls-Royce MT-30 gas turbines and two Rolls Royce MT-5 auxiliary gas turbines. Its Integrated Power System (IPS) can generate more than 75 megawatts of power. The amount of electricity produced is “unprecedented in any other non-nuclear surface ship.” The cost of the sophisticated ship was $4.4 billion. The USS Michael Monsoor displaces approximately 15 thousand tons and has a crew of 158, including an aviation detachment. The ship is named after the second-class sub-officer Michael A. Monsoor, a US Navy Seal who ho was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his “heroic actions and his implacable courage” while serving in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/most-sophisticated-us-warship-in-panama-during-xi-visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 2, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2018 Quote Corridor Sur closings for President Xi’s visit Posted on December 1, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 207 Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Panama on Sunday evening December 2 for a 24-hour visit. It will be the first official visit of a Chinese president to the Republic of Panama, which established diplomatic relations with the Asian giant in June 2017. when Xi and his delegation arrive there will be a total closure of the South Corridor, from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. meanwhile, operation will be normal in the North corridor. On Monday December 3 the South Corridor will be closed in from 3:45 pm to 5:15 pm. But there will be free access from 5:15 pm to 7:00 pm Operation of the North Corridor will be normal on Monday but its use will be free from 3:45 pm to 7:00 pm (for three hours and 15 minutes). https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/corridor-sur-closings-during-president-xis-visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 2, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2018 Quote Panama will deploy 2,500 agents to guard Xi during historic visit Sun, 12/02/2018 - 09:25 Panama will be reinforced during the next historic visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and will deploy around 2,500 agents in the capital between December 2 and 3 to ensure the safety of the president, informed the Panamanian authorities today. The operation, dubbed "Red Flag", will begin on Sunday afternoon when Xi is scheduled to land in Tocumen, the country's main airport and an important terminal for connections in the region, Panamanian security authorities explained at a press conference on Friday. The plan includes the closure of some of the capital's main arteries to facilitate the transfer of the governor to the various events scheduled, and the deployment of 2,500 agents along that route, said the National Deputy Director of Traffic Operations the National Police, Simón Enríquez. The Chinese president will stay at a hotel on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, in an area known as Veracruz, which is accessed by crossing one of the two bridges over the Panama Canal, which will also remain partially closed, the commissioner added. Xi will arrive in Panama on Sunday, after participating in the G20 summit in Argentina, but his official agenda will not begin until Monday, when he will meet with his Panamanian counterpart, Juan Carlos Varela. It is the first official trip of a Chinese president to Panama after the Central American country established diplomatic relations with China in June 2017 and broke the ties with Taiwan, which Beijing considers a rebel province. The Panamanian Government also announced on Friday that the public offices of the metropolitan area will close their doors on December 3 at noon to lighten traffic. "We apologize for any inconvenience that security operations may cause, and invite all Panamanians to witness a new historic step that we trust will benefit the entire country," said the Minister of the Presidency, Jorge González. During his visit to Panama, Xi will also hold a meeting with businessmen, will meet with the Chinese community established in the Central American country and will tour the interoceanic canal, through which 6 percent of world trade passes. It is expected that Panama and China, which are in full negotiations for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA), sign a score of agreements on cooperation, tourism, training, language, agriculture or visa flexibility. These agreements will be added to another twenty agreements signed last year, when Varela made a state trip to Beijing. China has a significant presence in Panama, as it is the second user of the Panama Canal, behind the United States, and the first supplier of the Colon Free Zone, the largest free zone in the hemisphere, located in the Panamanian Caribbean. Chinese companies, moreover, have recently won billionaire dollar tenders to build a kilometric bridge over the Panama Canal and a cruise terminal. https://www.panamatoday.com/panama/panama-will-deploy-2500-agents-guard-xi-during-historic-visit-8560 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 3, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 3, 2018 #LoÚltimo Llega a Panamá el presidente de la República Popular de China, Xi Jinping. - @treporta pic.twitter.com/shVqQ9Kx5C — Telemetro (@Telemetro) December 3, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 3, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 3, 2018 Quote Panama Chamber of Commerce endorses President Xi visit Posted on December 2, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 98 HOURS before the arrival in Panama of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi, Panama’s Jinping, the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap) gave his visit an enthusiastic endorsement. According to the Chamber’s weekly bulletin, the current standing of China in the global scene does not cause any surprise, because the country has accumulated some of the most advanced, surprising and transcendental achievements in the history of humanity. Thus, China’s current preponderant role relates to a trajectory marked by thousands of years of existence. For the business association, Panama could not remain oblivious to this reality, and the establishment of full relations with Beijing, a timely decision of the national government, was greeted with a virtually unanimous thumbs up by the Chamber. which brings together in a representative manner the private business effort of the country, which has supported the government’s decision which it sees as furthering the most strategic interests of Panama. The bulletin says that the Cciap works in building bonds of friendship and understanding between Chinese and local businessmen, “in the perspective of a dynamic cooperation that expands the frontier of the opportunities for the diverse productive sectors of our country. In this context, is framed, the attention with which we follow the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with China in order to be highly beneficial for Panama.” https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/chamber-of-commerce-endorses-president-xi-visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 3, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 3, 2018 Quote OPINION: Panama and China, agenda Posted on December 2, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 172 A Chinese proverb says that “you have to dig the well before you are thirsty”. With the visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Panama has entered into a global geopolitical storm. Although the demographic, economic, technological, political and cultural trends that indicate that the 21st century will be the era of the rise of Asian power are already obvious, it is also true that China is going through a process of important transformations That country represents the largest market in the world, but at the same time, it can be another lost opportunity if we do not prepare ourselves to take advantage of the Chinese opening. Beyond the protocol and ceremonial that this visit implies, Panama and China have to build a common agenda, based on the balance of interests. Panama is a country very susceptible to mercantile illusions, the product of poorly elaborated or distorted public policies by vested interests of some parasitic group in power. The question that should guide our leaders and those who aspire to become a government is very clear: what can Panama gain? China will have a thousand and one ways to obtain benefits; Panama will only have them if transparency and the rule of law are strengthened, so that all those negotiations and projects that are carried out, imply a real benefit. Otherwise, we will be digging wells for another’s thirst. – LA PRENSA, Dec.2 https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/opinion-panamas-and-chinaa-common-agend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 22, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 22, 2018 On 11/30/2018 at 9:12 AM, Moderator_02 said: https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/most-sophisticated-us-warship-in-panama-during-xi-visit Quote USS Michael Monsoor Holds Reception, Hosts President of Panama By Lt. Rob Reinheimer, PCU Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) Public Affairs Dec. 12, 2018 — PANAMA CITY, Panama (NNS) -- Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) welcomed the president of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, during a reception held aboard the ship in Panama City, Panama, Nov. 29. Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Panama, Mrs. Roxanne Cabral, was also in attendance, as well as numerous Panamanian government and military officials. While addressing the guests, Mrs. Cabral took the opportunity to highlight the long-lasting bond between the United States and Panama. “While the canal has linked our countries together since the first day of the Panama Republic, it represents only one part of our broad and strong relationship, which is built on trade, security, education, and cultural exchange,” said Cabral. “I want to toast our friendship, the bilateral relationship, and the investment that we all make in making our country stronger and the world a safer place.” Michael Monsoor was in port Panama City, Panama after completing the Panama Canal transit from the Atlantic Ocean Nov. 28. "This ship is about the bonds of friendship," said Capt. Scott Smith, Michael Monsoor’s commanding officer. “Michael Monsoor was a fierce friend. He drove his friends to excellence, led them through example, and he was unafraid to stand up to those who might challenge those friends.” “As we passed through the canal yesterday, I recalled the partnerships between Panama and the United States that have grown since independence and that have increased opportunities for all,” Smith continued. “Michael Monsoor, the ship, represents the latest example of the continuing relationship between our nations, so it is fitting that we are here this afternoon to celebrate our ongoing quest of friendship on a ship dedicated to the very ideal of friendship.” The Panama Canal serves as a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans for merchant and military vessels, saving them from the nearly 8000-mile journey around South America. Approximately 235 million tons of cargo pass through the canal every year. Michael Monsoor departed Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine Nov. 9 to begin the transit to its future homeport of San Diego. The ship had previously made stops at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and Cartagena, Colombia. Michael Monsoor is the second ship in the Zumwalt-class of guided-missile destroyers. The future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) is named in honor of Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Ramadi, Iraq, Sept. 29, 2006. He was positioned on a rooftop when an enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade from an unseen location. The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the deck. Monsoor immediately leapt to his feet and threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him. Michael Monsoor is homeported in San Diego and will begin a combat availability and then undergo a combat test period. Michael Monsoor began construction 2013 and is scheduled to be commissioned on Jan. 26, 2019 in Coronado, Calif. Get more information about the Navy from US Navy facebook or twitter. For more news from PCU Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), visit www.navy.mil/local/ddg1001/. http://www.southcom.mil/MEDIA/NEWS-ARTICLES/Article/1710929/uss-michael-monsoor-holds-reception-hosts-president-of-panama/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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