Panamanian and Chinese businessmen will sign memorandum of understanding

Panamanian and Chinese businessmen will sign memorandum of understanding

This rail transport system, which would cover a distance of 450 kilometers in two and a half hours, is part of the initiative of the Strip and the Route, which promotes the geographic and commercial integration of both countries. 

A mission of the business leaders of Qingdao (China) and its Panamanian counterparts today signed a memorandum of understanding at a time when the convenience of building a fast train that crosses Panama to the border with Costa Rica is analyzed with experts from the Asian power.

According to a statement from the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP), the document will be signed by the president in charge of that institution, Gabriel Barletta, and the deputy minister of the Qingdao-China Trade Office, Xu Jian. .

From La Estrella de Panama

Last Friday work teams of the Government of Panama and the People's Republic of China held in the Panamanian Foreign Ministry "the first technical meeting to define the methodology and working mechanism for the feasibility study of the Panama-David train, with which it will support the Asian country. "

The project for the construction of a passenger and freight train between the provinces of Panama and Chiriqui is among the 22 agreements and agreements signed between Panama and China since the establishment of diplomatic relations, 19 of which were specified in the State Visit of the Panamanian President, Juan Carlos Varela, to meet with his counterpart Xi Jinping.

This rail transport system, which would cover a distance of 450 kilometers in two and a half hours, is part of the initiative of the Strip and the Route, which promotes the geographic and commercial integration of both countries.

Currently by motorway the tour takes about six hours. 

Canal Minister and Director General of the Panama Metro, S.A., Roberto Roy and representatives of the Ministry of Commerce of China and engineers of railway companies in that country lead the talks. Qingdao, the fourth most important city in China, sent a business mission to Panama to explore investment possibilities.

On January 31, the Panamanian Government announced the approval of the Civil and Maritime Air Transport agreements that were signed between Varela and Xi last year. The reciprocal recognition of the marine certificates issued by both countries, in addition to facilitating the exchange of information to improve the merchant marine of each one, the traffic rights to open new air routes to and from Panama or China, are part of the pacts.On June 13, Panama established diplomatic ties with China, to the detriment of Taiwan, and the Executive established 12 pillars in the new bilateral agenda, including judicial cooperation, increased tourist exchanges, increased trade and investment promotion. 

The Asian country is currently the second most important user of the Panama Canal, behind the US, and the first supplier of the Colon Free Zone, the largest in the hemisphere, located in the Panamanian Caribbean.