Panama President Condemns Deputies' Trip to Taiwan

President José Raúl Mulino assured that the trip of a group of deputies to Taiwan is sponsored by those seeking to stir up trouble in the relationship between China and Taiwan and denied that these deputies could discuss projects and investments. 'The agreement states that no relations of any kind can be had with Taiwan, contrary to what other countries like the United States have, which has an office of interest in Washington.' 'I have not been asked anything about whether I would be willing to evaluate the opening of a Taiwan commercial office in Panama, if that request comes it will be analyzed and I will inform the country, I am not going to fall for this story like the other one who established relations with China behind closed doors and in the middle of the night, luckily there are Varelaleaks,' Mulino stated. 'That trip is tainted by those seeking to stir up trouble here in Panama with its relationship with China,' said the head of state, assuring that his government will remain firm in the face of any external attempt to generate bilateral friction. He recalled that Panama was very friendly to Taiwan and pointed out that he cannot be 'an ingrate like the other one who three weeks before breaking relations asked for $70 million, I don't remember for what, one has to be miserable to do that.' The head of state pointed out that the agreement between Panama and the People's China states in article 1 the existence of a single China. He recalled that Panama has diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and not with Taiwan. The head of state questioned the argument that the deputies were going to Taiwan to explore business opportunities. Mulino insisted that Panama cannot become a stage for geopolitical confrontations between powers. Likewise, he recalled that he cannot forget that after the invasion, Taiwan helped Panama with the restructuring by providing fresh funds to pay the interest on the external debt, which at that time was 4 billion dollars. 'I am not going to allow them to attract to Panama a problem that is not Panama's, we are not going to allow that force of attraction... resolve it there in Washington, not in Panama,' he stressed. What does the agreement with the People's China say? 'Taiwan always had an agricultural program in the interior, it had a presence and was important for our sector, but all that is gone,' he lamented. Mulino does not endorse that trip. Mulino reiterated that the Executive Branch is the only body constitutionally empowered to set the country's foreign policy and clarified that the deputies' trip does not have his backing. 'My government does not endorse that trip under any circumstances, because I know that the consequences could be serious,' he warned. 'It is a lie that the deputies can go there to talk about investments and projects,' he assured and in an ironic tone recommended that they 'eat a lot of chow mein, it's good and sweet and sour pork, and that's it'.