Panama eyeing trade deal

Panama is set to become the first country among Taiwan's Central American and South American allies to begin formal consultations with Taipei regarding the possibility of forging a free-trade agreement (FTA), a foreign ministry official said yesterday. Meliton Arrocha, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade in Panama, will arrive in Taiwan on Monday for a five-day visit, said Javier Hou (侯清山), director-general of the ministry's Department of Central and South American affairs, in a briefing yesterday. Arrocha's primary task during his trip to Taipei will be to hold talks with officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the possibilities of forging an FTA between Panama and Taiwan.