Visiting Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi inaugurated the Panama Embassy in Beijing on November 16, 2017, five months after bilateral diplomatic ties were established. "The inauguration ceremony is of historic significance," said Varela, adding, "Panama will firmly abide by the one-China principle and develop a friendly cooperation relationship with China." Varela is visiting China from Nov. 16 to 22. This marks the first trip by a Panamanian leader to China since the two nations established diplomatic ties on June 13. China and Panama signed a joint communique on June 13, in which the government of Panama severs "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan as of that day and undertakes not to have any more official relations or exchanges with Taiwan. (Photo: China News Service/ Hou Yu)
