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Cao Jiaxuan

China has protested to Panama over the removal on the weekend of a monument to the Chinese community, calling on Panamanian authorities to investigate the incident.
The Chinese-Panamanian Friendship Park has reportedly been in need of repair and the demolition was deemed by Beijing as “hurting the broad interests of China-Panama friendship”.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday that China was “seriously dissatisfied” with Arraijan authorities for the demolition of the park and its monument to Chinese migration.
According to the Chinese embassy in Panama, the Arraijan municipal government dismantled the monument late on December 27 without prior notice or consultation with Chinese community groups.
In Beijing, Lin described the demolition as “egregious” and said it had deeply hurt the Chinese community and undermined bilateral goodwill.
He said Chinese labourers helped build the Panama Railroad and Canal in the 19th century, and the memorial symbolised their contributions.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has ordered an investigation into the incident, calling the demolition “outrageous”, and confirmed the government would restore the monument.
Mulino criticised Arraijan mayor Stefany Penalba for the decision, saying the destruction of the memorial had “absolutely no justification” and showed a lack of respect for a community with deep historical roots in the country.
Municipal authorities said the decision was based on technical assessments and public safety concerns, citing alleged structural risks associated with the site.
Penalba said her responsibility was to ensure the safety of visitors to public spaces.
Panama’s foreign ministry said it was willing to help identify a new site to commemorate China’s “historical and cultural heritage”.

The park was built in 2004 with funds raised by Chinese community groups and support from the Chinese government to commemorate the arrival of the first group of Chinese migrants in 1854.
Chinese ambassador to Panama Xu Xueyuan said on social media that China had been aware of plans to remove the monument since May last year.
She said the Chinese community had repeatedly sought talks with municipal authorities and had offered to fully fund repairs to the lookout and monument, but had received no response.
The monument is located near the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, an artificial waterway that has been the focus of tensions between China and the United States in the past year.
The relationship between China and Panama is under scrutiny, with speculation growing that Panama is being drawn closer to Washington’s orbit.
Before winning the November election last year, US President Donald Trump suggested that the United States should consider regaining control of the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of handing influence to China.
Mulino rejected those allegations, saying the canal was “completely free of Chinese interference”.


China and the United States have also clashed at the United Nations over the waterway since August, with Washington accusing Beijing of having “outsized influence” over the canal that amounts to a “potential threat to global trade and security”.
Beijing rejected the claims, describing Washington as being “the biggest disrupter of peace and stability”.
Earlier this month, US ambassador Kevin Cabrera praised Panama’s joint counter-narcotics and search-and-rescue operations during a port visit, highlighting maritime cooperation.
That came days after Beijing pledged in a strategy paper no-strings-attached aid to Latin America and the Caribbean, asserting its voice in the Global South.
Uncertainty over the potential sale of two ports near the canal owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings has further fuelled tensions.
The deal has stalled amid disagreements over buyer structure and China’s role.
In February, Panama informed Beijing of its decision to withdraw from China’s Belt and Road Initiative.


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Police tape surrounds the area where a monument to the Chinese community once stood in Panama City, Panama. Photo:   EPA

China has protested over the damage to the Chinese-Panamanian Friendship Park on the weekend. Photo: Handout

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US Ambassador Kevin Cabrera visited the US Coast Guard cutter Alert during its port call in Panama City, highlighting the enduring maritime partnership between the United States and Panama. Photo: Handout

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Chinese underwater drones featured at a military parade in Beijing in September, but the new models may be twice their size. Photo: Handout

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The Port of Balboa at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. Photo: AFP

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The Port of Balboa, located at the entrance to the Panama Canal in Panama City, is managed by the Hong Kong company CK Hutchison. Photo: AFP

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Chancay Port in Peru is expected to become a hub of global trade. Photo: Xinhua

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Diplomacy

The monument was removed on the weekend without notice or consultation, Beijing’s envoy says


The monument was removed on the weekend without notice or consultation, Beijing’s envoy says.


China protests to Panama over destruction of memorial to Chinese labourers

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The monument was removed on the weekend without notice or consultation, Beijing’s envoy says

The monument was removed on the weekend without notice or consultation, Beijing’s envoy says