Amidst pressure from the US, Panama is the first Latin American country to leave Beijing’s Global Infrastructure Club.
After Panama quit the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China denounced Washington’s “Cold War spirit” in Latin America.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on Friday was found in the US for hampering the Global Infrastructure Program.
Beijing “is firmly against the United States using pressure and forcing to undermine belt and road cooperation,” Lin Jiang said in a statement. “The US attacks reveal once again its hegemonic nature.”
Referring to Marco Rubio’s visit to the region this week, Lin said the US Secretary of State’s comments that “unfairly condemned China and intentionally sowed discords between China and related Latin American countries, and China. “It has said it will interfere with the internal affairs of China and undermine China’s legitimate rights and interests.”
Jian said that more than 20 Latin American countries have joined the BRI since being deployed by China in 2013, being one of more than 150 countries.
In 2017, Panama became the first in the region to participate in a large-scale infrastructure plan. This is the central pillar of Xi Jinping’s nation to expand its global influence.
However, on Thursday, Panama President Jose Raul Murino said he had formally submitted a notice that his country would officially leave the project.
The announcement follows a visit from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and tours the Panama Canal.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly denounced Panama’s control of strategic waterway measures to China despite denials from both countries.
Murino denied that the US pushed Panama to move to stop BRI.
Rubio, who threatened action against Panama, has welcomed the announcement as a “big step forward” in bilateral relations, unless they make immediate changes to reduce China’s impact on the canal. did.
Beijing on Friday claimed that it “supports Panama’s sovereignty over the canal.”
“We hope that Panama will make the right decision based on the overall situation of the bilateral relationship and the long-term interests of the two, and eliminate external interference,” Jiang said.
