Beijing slams ‘forced demolition’ of Chinese monument at Panama Canal

[BEIJING] China strongly criticised on Monday (Dec 29) the weekend demolition by Panamanian authorities of a monument to Beijing’s contributions to the Panama Canal.

The monument was torn down on Saturday on the orders of the mayor’s office in Arraijan, a locality near the canal’s Pacific entrance.

China has major investments in Panama, where the United States under US President Donald Trump has threatened to retake control of the key waterway that links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

“China deplores the forced demolition by relevant local authorities in Panama of a monument to China’s contributions to the Panama Canal,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing said.

“The monument stood as a witness and memorial to the time-honoured friendship between China and Panama, and to the tremendous contribution of Chinese workers who travelled across the oceans to Panama in the 19th century to help build the Twin Ocean Railway and the Panama Canal,” it said.

The mayor’s office said the monument, built in 2004, was taken down because it had structural damage that posed a “risk”.

Its destruction, however, was also criticised by Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino.

There was “no justification whatsoever for the barbarity committed”, he said on Sunday, calling it “an unforgivable act of irrationality”.

The anger voiced by former presidents and Panamanian political leaders over the monument’s destruction prompted Mulino’s government to order the “immediate restoration of the monument in its original location”.

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Since returning to office, Trump has made threats to retake control of the canal, claiming Beijing has too much influence in its operations.

The US and China are the main users of the 80-kilometre canal, which sees the passage of 5 per cent of global maritime trade.

The Panama Canal was under US control from 1914 to 1999, when it was taken over by Panama.

Trump has demanded preferential conditions for its use by US vessels.

Hong Kong-based Hutchison Holdings operates two ports on the Pacific and the Atlantic, but has agreed to sell them to US-based BlackRock. AFP