Located on the isthmus of Central America, Panama shines as the “Pearl of Central America.” Its unique geographical location and vibrant culture place it firmly on the world. The Panama Canal, also referred to as the “Golden Waterway of the World” , is a marvel that draws the eyes of the globe. Panama City where history and modernity blend, further showcases the nation’s beauty. Beyond the city, the poetic San Blas Islands offer a glimpse into the region’s primitive allure. Together, these make Panama a truly remarkable destination.

In July 2017, China and Panama officially established diplomatic relations. Since then, high-level exchanges between the two countries have become more frequent, cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, culture, and education has been continuously expanded, and the bilateral relations have entered a period of rapid development. The friendship between China and Panama is as vibrant and full of vitality as the continuously flowing Panama Canal. Recently, Outlook New Era invited Roger Alvarado, Consul General of the Republic of Panama in Guangzhou, to have a dialogue. He shared his connection with China and the new directions of cooperation between China and Panama in the new year.

Consul General of the Republic of Panama in Guangzhou, Roger Alvarado

The bond with China: “I have witnessed the magnificent process of China’s rapid development”

“My first visit to China was due to business in 1997. Since then, I have had multiple deep connections with this land,” recalled Consul General Alvarado as he reflected on his ties with China.

Over the past two decades, he has frequently traveled between China and Panama, seeking business opportunities in cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Xiamen, and promoting economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. This also enabled him to witness the rapid rise of China. "Over the years, China has undergone tremendous changes. Everything is filled with hope, and the country is thriving," Consul General Alvarado remarked. "My frequent visits between two countries have given me the chance to witness the magnificent process of China’s rapid development."

This January, he arrived in Guangzhou in his new role as a diplomat. "From this year, I have taken on my role as Consul General of Panama in Guangzhou, and it's a fresh start," he said. At the very beginning of his diplomatic career, Consul General Alvarado has already visited several southern Chinese cities.

Recently, he attended the 2nd Central American Trade and Commerce Exchange Conference in Fujian Province. During his stay in Fujian, he also visited several local private enterprises, contributing to the future cooperation between the two countries. Consul General Alvarado told Outlook New Era that Panama has strong advantages in terms of experience and achievements in international trade development. "Therefore, I am very glad to have met many Chinese entrepreneurs and investors at the exchange conference. It will be a great benefit to the future cooperation between Central America and China."

Consul General Alvarado(Middle) with private entrepreneurs from Fujian

Consul General Alvarado also led his team to visit the headquarters of Huawei in Shenzhen and its training center in Dongguan to gain an in-depth understanding of the innovative development of China's artificial intelligence algorithms. From artificial intelligence algorithms to driverless cars and multilingual libraries, Consul General Alvarado was filled with emotion after the visit. "When people talk about Huawei in China, many of them think of mobile phones or smartwatches. However, Huawei is also committed to sustainable development and assumes the corporate responsibility for the development and use of clean energy." He expressed his expectation that in the future, Panamanian enterprises will be able to carry out in-depth cooperation with Chinese high-tech enterprises, represented by Huawei, to achieve a win-win situation."

Consul General Alvarado (Middle) and his team in Huawei Training Center

"I have been to Guangzhou several times before. Guangzhou impresses me as a beautiful, safe, and vibrant city," Consul General Alvarado said. "Guangzhou is diverse. For example, you can taste delicious cuisine from different countries here. In addition, my Chinese friends are very friendly and warm-hearted, which makes me fall in love with this land." Regarding his current appointment, "I am very happy. This is not only because of the profound friendship between Panama and China, but also because the Chinese people make me feel so close. I earnestly hope that in this beautiful city of Guangzhou, I can contribute to the future cooperation and bright prospects between Panama and China."

The culture of Panama: A shining pearl nurtured by the oceans

Panama is located on the isthmus of Central America. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean from north to south. As a result, Panama has become a regional trade, shipping, and financial center. The Colón Free Trade Zone near the canal is the largest free trade zone in the Western Hemisphere. Along with the Panama Canal is Panama City. The modern high-rise buildings and the ancient city of Panama with a history of several hundred years complement each other. Famous buildings such as the San Francisco Church and the National Theater of Panama are located in the beautiful old town of Panama... The cultural heritage and urban charm of Panama shine brightly.

The Panamanian Islands away from the main urban area are also alluring. The Pearl Islands, located more than 50 kilometers from Panama City, got their name because of the abundance of pearls produced there. Among them, Contadora Island is the closest to the mainland, the smallest, and the most beautiful one. With a blue sky, clear water, white sand, and green shade, it is like a paradise. The San Blas Islands are located on the northern coast of Panama and consist of more than 400 islands. Among them, 49 small islands are inhabited by the Kuna people of Panama. Consul General Alvarado introduced, “The Panamanian national embroidery craftsmanship - ‘Mola’- was created by the Kuna people. They weave it by hand, using unique techniques ans vivid colors to demonstrate the positive attitude of the indigenous people towards life.” “Mola” usually uses techniques such as “cutwork sewing” and “three-thread sewing” to depict the living customs of the Kuna people and showcase the essence of nature and their national culture in its unique form. In 2022, the "Hilos y Retazos Que Cuentan Historias—Exhibition of Panamanian Mola Art in Chongqing" was held in Chongqing, which greatly promoted the civil cultural exchanges between the two places. On January 16 this year, when Consul General Alvarado visited the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, he also presented a "Mola" to Guangzhou, symbolizing that the friendship between China and Panama is as splendid as the "Mola".

"Mola" - the traditional embroidery of Panama's Kuna people

According to Consul General Alvarado, the traditional Panamanian embroidered dress, Pollera, is also a bright and flamboyant part of the country's traditional culture, vividly demonstrating the people's passion for life. The National Assembly of Panama had previously declared "Panamanian traditional clothing and its handicraft production techniques" as an intangible cultural heritage of Panama to protect the intellectual property rights related to traditional clothing.

Pollera - the traditional embroidered dress of Panama

Panama boasts a rich and colorful culture, and its rare geographical location in the world has endowed it with unique cultural and tourism resources. "We only need to travel 80 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean," Consul General Alvarado said proudly. "On a clear day, when you reach the top of the Volcano of Chiriquí, you can see both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean at the same time. You can even take a plunge and swim in these two great oceans." "In addition to the canal, highways, and trains, we also have an oil pipeline running from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. So Panama has four transportation routes." He warmly invited Chinese friends to visit Panama. "Although Panama is small, it has beautiful scenery and rich resources. People from China and all over the world are welcome to explore Panama together."   

The seeds of cultural exchanges and civil friendly exchanges between China and Panama were sown as early as the 19th century. Since the first batch of Chinese people arrived in Panama to build railways over 170 years ago, the Chinese community has made important contributions to the development of Panama and the cultural exchanges between China and Panama. Currently, there are about 300,000 Chinese people in Panama, accounting for approximately 7 percent of the country's total population. The Spring Festival is also widely celebrated here and the Spring Festival celebration activities have been incorporated into Panama's international tourism promotion plan. During the Spring Festival, both local people and overseas Chinese celebrate the Chinese New Year together, visiting temple fairs, watching lion dances, and sharing red envelopes, creating a very strong festive atmosphere. All these fully demonstrate that the people of China and Panama are closely linked by blood and share a deep emotional bond. "Our relationship is very close. Chinese people in Panama often visit their relatives and friends in China, and vice versa," Consul General Alvarado said. "I think this is also a way of cultural interaction."

He also stated that "China has a huge influence on world civilization." The Chinese people are full of vitality, diligent in doing businesses, and strive to achieve self-improvement while also helping others. The Chinese people are united not only for themselves but also for society and the country. "This is very admirable," Consul General Alvarado said. "Panama has been working with China for many years. The bilateral relationship between Panama and China cannot be determined unilaterally. It is the result of the joint efforts and continuous struggle of both sides. The friendship between our two countries has always been solid and firm."

China-Panama cooperation: Moving forward hand in hand and exploring new opportunities for cooperation in the new era

On June 13, 2017, China and Panama officially established diplomatic relations. Since then, two countries both officially established embassies; Panama opened consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong of China. Since then, cooperation between  China and Panama in various fields has entered a period of rapid development. The two countries have continuously deepened mutual trust and enhanced connectivity, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries. Between 2017 and 2018, the heads of state of China and Panama paid mutual visits and signed a number of bilateral cooperation documents, reaching broad consensus on promoting the relations between the two countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and Vice President of Panama, Isabel Saint Malo de Alvarado, signed the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations on June 13, 2017

President Xi Jinping once published a signed article titled "Work Together for a Brighter Future" in Panama media, stating that China and Panama should be sincere partners with equality and mutual trust, development partners sharing weal and woe, cooperation partners achieving mutual benefit and win-win results, and close partners with hearts closely connected, jointly promoting the long- term development of China - Panama relations. Currently, China remains Panama's second - largest trading partner, the largest supplier to the Colón Free Trade Zone, and the second - largest user of the Panama Canal. Consul General Alvarado said that Panama welcomes people from all walks of life to invest and develop in Panama. He hopes that in the future, the two sides will continue to move forward hand in hand to create a better tomorrow. “Panama and China cooperate closely in various fields. Panama is currently committed to increasing its exports to China. And Chinese investors can also visit Panama more to understand and expand the scope of cooperation. There is huge potential for future cooperation between Panama and China . Panama has long - term close cooperation with Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, which continuously promotes the joint discussion and operation between Panama and China in leading industries. People from all sectors of the two countries work together to build a good bilateral relationship between Panama and China.”

Consul General Alvarado pointed out that China has advanced technologies and industrial advantages in many fields. Especially in the aspects of green ecology and green economy, China plays a leading role globally, and Panama needs to learn and draw on these experiences for application in its own agricultural sector. He looks forward to the two countries jointly exchanging experiences in related projects such as forest management, water resources, and fishery in the future, contributing to global green development.

He also mentioned that Panama has Tocumen Airport, an air transit hub that can connect Latin America and the Caribbean region. This will greatly facilitate the development of tourism between Panama and China as well as other countries, and promote global connectivity. In addition, Panama is actively promoting the "National Logistics Strategy 2030" and plans to build a world - class logistics center. The Consul General believes that Panama can make full use of its unique geographical location and developed logistics system to attract more Chinese investors and increase the volume of international trade with China. "We must go all out to firmly seize the development opportunities of cooperation with China."

The picture of Tocumen International Airport displayed in the Consulate General

Panama is not only an import and export center for the entire Latin America but also an important regional financial center. Consul General Alvarado expressed his expectation that the two countries will deepen their connections in multiple fields based on the common strategic points of their national development. The continuous cooperation between Panama and China represents the aspiration of the people and conforms to the general trend. "In the new year, there are infinite possibilities for cooperation between the two countries."

In the spring of the Year of the Snake, Consul General Alvarado conveyed his blessings to the Chinese people through Outlook New Era: "Thank you for welcoming me to China.You have a friend here and our consulate is open for you. Panama is open for you. In the name of the Republic of Panama and our President José Raúl Mulino, we wish you all the best, a lot of health, success and peace. All the best for the next year.”

Consul General Alvarado inscribed words for Outlook New Era