Panama, China start free trade talks, eye regional hub
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama and China opened free trade talks on Monday with the aim of crafting an agreement that could turn the Central American country into a hub for Chinese goods across Latin America.
Panama’s Minister for Trade and Industry Augusto Arosemena said the first round of talks would last until Friday, July 13, and establish the basis for the rest of the negotiation.
Traditionally close to Washington because the U.S. had controlled its famous shipping canal for decades, Panama has set its sights on attracting more inward investment from China.
More Chinese investment, Arosemena told reporters, would enable Panama “to position ourselves as the port of entry of these products and investment for the whole region.”
China’s ambassador to Panama, Wei Qiang, said Panama could become a hub for Chinese firms, notably in manufacturing.
Panama’s chief negotiator, Alberto Aleman, said the trade agreement aimed to include some 20 chapters in total.
The trade talks follow Panama’s establishment of diplomatic ties with China in 2017.
Since then, the isthmian nation and the world’s second-largest economy have signed around 20 agreements and established direct flights between them.
A second round of trade talks is expected to take place in August, though no precise date has been set yet.
Reporting by Elida Moreno; Editing by Phil Berlowitz
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China is already in control of most of the ports and the canal itself...follow the links for more information on this.
https://www.thetrumpet.com/13973-china-buys-panamas-largest-port
http://themengesproject.blogspot.com/2008/10/chinas-control-of-panama-canal.html
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Click on the two links above to see how much of the Panama Canal China controls....
Interesting info Chief !! Thanks !!
Happy that you enjoyed it Nona.
One of the interesting (sad) things is that after the US transferred the control to Panama, we could have bid on operating the ports and CFS stations...Sadly we didn't do anything and now the Chinese are firmly entrenched there.
So much for the US knowing how to play the long game.
We never play the long game. We are a nation of instant gratification. The Chinese on the other hand, have a very, very long history, and the one thing they have learned is watch, listen, and to quietly make their moves to gain power. Not sure? These dudes mean something:
I believe that China decided some time ago that the US couldn't be their biggest market, too many eggs in one basket so to speak.
Sine 2014 their investments in Europe have increased, acquiring property and the purchase of EU sovereignty bonds, similar to our treasury bonds.
Long game for sure.
The US plays the "this will make me look good until the next election" game.
Unfortunately that does seem to be our trade policy, SteevieGee.
Dear Brother Kavika: Seems some never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
Will not bode well in future for us.
E.
IMO, we seem to be missing a lot of opportunities in world trade and growth...The short game as I like to call it.
Dear Brother Kavika; Shorts are for under fashions, never for policy.
Enoch, In My Tidy Whities, Doing a Ten Year Pro Forma.
Jockey or Hanes?
If jockeys wear jockey shorts, do lawyers wear legal briefs?
LOL, good one.
Dear Brother Kavika: Gotkas.
Boxers, actually.
Enoch, Sporting a Mean Left Hook and Right Upper Cut Combo.
Sure would have liked to see this get more comments and have a discussion on this and how the Chinese are making moves, both physically and financially through out the world....
Oh well, guess it better to piss and moan about politics.
I would comment if I knew anything about trade.
Well do you think that we will ''win'' a trade war with China?
I very much doubt it
I've always maintained that no one wins a trade war. All parties involved get hurt. And if this continues both sides are going to get hurt.
Arkansas is the largest rice producer in the US. It also produces soy beans. I see Arkansas farmers being hurt by this trade war but I don't know if I can be sympathetic since this state went for trump
Same in Missouri, Trout. A lot of soybeans and other commodities grown here and the farmers will be hurt.
The announcement today by Trump that they have targeted another $200 billion for tariffs surely will lead to retaliation by the Chinese.
It's pretty clear that the Chinese leadership is smarter than the US leadership right now.
What it's seems that many Americans are not seeing are the moves by the Chinese on a world wide basis. Huge investments in Africa and South America and Europe.
Without a doubt China will be hurt by these tariffs, but so will the US. Where China is besting us is in their investment throughout the world. The article just shows how well situated they are in South and Central America.
China has two other trade lanes that are larger than the US trade. Inter Asia and the EU..
It's going to be interesting to see how this proceeds.
China seems to be well positioned to ride this trade war out. While we pursue isolationist policies the rest of the world will move on without us.
If they and the rest of the world is going to be able to ride this out, why are they whining about it?
If this turns into all out trade war, China will be hurt, no doubt about that, as will the US. The other thing to take into consideration is that we now seem to be at the trade war level with our best allies..EU, Canada and Mexico..On going tariffs by these countries will add to the pain the US will feel.
IMO, this is a no win situation no mater what the administration states.
They are not whining about it Tom, just pointing out how stupid it is and retaliating with their own tariffs.
Hmmm............. Are we maybe perhaps could be seeing a kinda sorta pattern here?
Seems that we are seeing a pattern, one that we, the US, should be paying attention to.