China regrets Panama’s exit from Belt and Road Initiative, slams ‘coercive’ tactics of US
ISTANBUL (AA) – China on Friday said it regretted Panama’s exit from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and slammed the US for “coercive” tactics.
Beijing “strongly opposes US’ coercive pressure tactics aimed at smearing and undermining the cooperation under BRI framework and regrets Panama’s decision not to renew the BRI Memorandum of Understanding,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing.
Lin charged the US with “interruption of the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Latin American countries” and said such moves “will win no support and is doomed to fail.”
The spokesman hoped Panama will “make the right decision free from external interference.”
China, he added, also lodged “serious protests” with Washington on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments on Beijing during his visit to Latin American countries, calling them “steeped in Cold-War mentality and ideological bias, unfounded accusations.”
President Jose Raul Mulino confirmed Panama’s withdrawal from the Chinese initiative during a press conference on Thursday, saying that Panama’s ambassador to Beijing had submitted the necessary documents to China, notifying them of the decision 90 days in advance.
Rubio had expressed disapproval of China’s influence over the Panama Canal during his visit to Panama last weekend.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
