Amidst the US pressure, Panama is the first Latin American country to leave Beijing’s World Infrastructure Club.
China has criticized Washington’s “Cold War mentality” in Latin America after leaving the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
On Friday, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the People’s Republic of China on Friday called for a sabotage of the World Infrastructure Program on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China’s Republic of China.
Lin Jian said in a statement, “Beijing” strongly oppose the United States by using pressure and repression to waste and weaken the balcut and road cooperation. ” “US -party attacks… once again expose your hedimonic nature.”
Referring to the visit to the region this week by Marco Rubio, Lin said the US Secretary of State’s comments “deliberately accuses China and relevant Latin American countries of conflicts between China and the relevant Latin American countries. And China’s legitimate rights and interests are damaged. “
Jian noted that more than 20 Latin American countries are among more than 150 countries that have participated in the BRI since China changed it in 2013.
Panama became the first in the region to be formally included in the large -scale infrastructure plan in 2017, which is the main pillar of President Xi Jinping to expand its country’s global influence.
But on Thursday, Panama President Jose Raul Milano said his country had formally filed a notice that he would leave the project.
Following the announcement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also visited the Panama Canal.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Panama of overcoming China’s strategic waterway, despite the denial of the two countries.
Milano denied that the United States had pushed Panama to take steps to leave the BRI.
Rubio, who threatened to take action against Panama until he made immediate changes to reduce Chinese influence on the canal, praised the announcement as a “great step forward” for bilateral relations. –
Beijing insisted on Friday that it “supports Panama’s sovereignty on the canal”.
“We hope that the Panama will make the right decision on the overall situation of bilateral relations and the long -term interests of the two people and will end external interference,” said Jian.
