By Zoila Palma: Authorities in Arraiján, near the entrance to the Panama Canal, ordered the demolition of a monument honoring China’s contributions to the interoceanic waterway on Saturday night, AFP reports.
Built in 2004 to symbolize friendship between the two countries, the monument overlooked the canal near the Bridge of the Americas. The mayor’s office cited structural damage that posed a “risk” as the reason for its removal.
The demolition drew sharp criticism from Panamanian and Chinese officials.
President José Raúl Mulino called it “an unforgivable act of irrationality” and said “there is no justification whatsoever for the barbarity committed.”
China’s ambassador to Panama, Xu Xueyuan, described the move as a “great pain for bilateral friendship,” highlighting the insult to the country’s 300,000-strong Chinese-Panamanian community.
Videos showed some community members attempting to intervene but being blocked by police.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of U.S.-China tensions over the canal, with U.S. President Donald Trump having called for greater U.S. control and preferential treatment for American vessels.
The Panama Canal, which handles about five percent of global maritime trade, was under U.S. control from 1914 until 1999.
Hutchison Holdings, a Hong Kong-based company operating ports on the Pacific and Atlantic sides, has agreed to sell them to U.S.-based BlackRock, further complicating the canal’s strategic landscape.
The post International News: Monument honoring China’s contribution to Panama canal demolished appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Authorities in Arraiján, near the entrance to the Panama Canal, ordered the demolition of a monument honoring China’s contributions to the interoceanic waterway on Saturday night, AFP reports. Built in 2004 to symbolize friendship between the two countries, the monument overlooked the canal near the Bridge of the Americas. The mayor’s office
The post International News: Monument honoring China’s contribution to Panama canal demolished appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
