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Beijing Condemn the removal of a monument Panama Respects its Chinese community, warns this move has caused damage relations between the two countries.
According to the Chinese Embassy, the monument located in the China-Pakistan Friendship Park near the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal was demolished by the Arraijan municipality on the evening of December 27 without prior notice or consultation.
A video shared on social media showed heavy machinery demolishing the building overnight. By morning, the rubble had been cleared from the site, leaving only two broken stone lions on the roadside – once part of the monument’s traditional Chinese architectural design.
The site was built in 2004 with funding from Chinese community organizations and support from Beijing to commemorate the arrival of the first Chinese immigrants in 1854 and the role Chinese laborers played in the construction of the Panama Railway and Canal in the 19th century.
China’s foreign ministry said it was “seriously dissatisfied” with the demolition, calling the behavior “shocking” and warning it had damaged goodwill between the two countries.
Spokesperson Lin Jian said that the removal of the monument “severely hurts the feelings of the vast number of overseas Chinese in Panama and is not conducive to the overall friendship between China and Panama.”
Mr. Lin urged Panamanian authorities to investigate the incident, correct what he said was the local government’s misconduct, and “eliminate the adverse effects in a timely manner,” Xinhua reported.
Xu Xueyuan, China’s ambassador to Panama, said Beijing had known about the plan to demolish the monument since May last year, and Chinese community leaders had repeatedly sought dialogue with local officials and even offered to fully fund the restoration work.
“This monument that has held 171 years of life, blood and dedication of the Chinese community has been shattered,” the ambassador said on social media.
“The symbol of China-Pakistan friendship has vanished into thin air. I asked: Why?”
Panamanian President José Raul Mulino publicly condemned the demolition, distanced himself from the decision and blamed municipalities.
He ordered an investigation and promised to rebuild the monument.
“This is a traditional community in our country that goes back generations,” he said on X.
“They deserve our respect. An investigation should be launched immediately. This irrational behavior is inexcusable.”
Mr Mulino criticized Arayjan Mayor Stefany Penalba, saying the vandalism showed a lack of respect for a community with deep historical roots in Panama.
The municipality defended its actions, saying the technical assessment identified structural risks that posed a threat to public safety.
Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later offered to help identify a new location to commemorate China’s “historical and cultural heritage.”
The demolition angered Chinese and Panamanian residents. Members of the Chinese community protested at the scene, and some Chinese businesses were temporarily closed in protest.
Tour guide Jaime Bustos said he was shocked when he took a group of Italian tourists to visit the monument.
“They helped build our transoceanic railroad, they helped build the Panama Canal, they are helping our country’s economy,” Mr. Bustos told The Associated Press. “I believe this was an act of cruelty.”
When the monument was demolished Geopolitical tensions rise On Panama’s relations with China and the United States.
US President Donald Trump claims China controls Panama CanalPanama has repeatedly denied the accusation.
Mr Mulino said the canal was “completely free from Chinese interference”.