Hong Kong’s commerce chief on Friday summoned the Panamanian Consul General to condemn a court ruling that annulled Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison’s contract to operate two ports at the Panama Canal.
The move came after China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office earlier this week warned Panama of “heavy prices” to pay over the decision.
Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah (丘應樺) expressed “strong dissatisfaction and opposition” to the Panama Supreme Court’s decision during a meeting with Panamanian Consul General Jose Ramon de Jesus Varela Fabrega, according to a post by the bureau.
Photo: Reuters
The company had made large investments and created jobs in Panama over many years, Yau said.
He criticized Panama for “destroying its national credibility” in a move that he said would cause far-reaching damage to the country’s business environment and economic development, and seriously undermine international trade rules.
Yau urged the Panamanian government to respect the spirit of the contract, and provide a fair and just business environment for companies lawfully operating locally.
“Hong Kong companies operating and investing in Panama should receive fair and reasonable treatment and protections,” Yau said.
CK Hutchison has moved to challenge the ruling, with its Panama Ports Company unit launching international arbitration proceedings.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday called the court’s decision definitive and said he does not expect the situation to escalate.
“Panama is a dignified country and will not allow itself to be threatened by any country on earth,” he said.
DETERRENCE: With 1,000 indigenous Hsiung Feng II and III missiles and 400 Harpoon missiles, the nation would boast the highest anti-ship missile density in the world With Taiwan wrapping up mass production of Hsiung Feng II and III missiles by December and an influx of Harpoon missiles from the US, Taiwan would have the highest density of anti-ship missiles in the world, a source said yesterday. Taiwan is to wrap up mass production of the indigenous anti-ship missiles by the end of year, as the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has been meeting production targets ahead of schedule, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said. Combined with the 400 Harpoon anti-ship missiles Taiwan expects to receive from the US by 2028, the nation would have
POSSIBILITIES EMERGE: With Taiwan’s victory and Japan’s narrow win over Australia, Taiwan now have a chance to advance if South Korea also beat the Aussies Taiwan has high hopes that the national baseball team would advance to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarter-finals after clinching a crucial 5-4 victory over South Korea in a nail-biting extra-inning game at the Tokyo Dome yesterday. Boosted by three home runs — two solo shots by Yu Chang (張育成) and Cheng Tsung-che (鄭宗哲) and a two-run homer by Stuart Fairchild — the triumph gave Taiwan a much-needed second victory in the five-team Pool C, where only the top two finishers would advance to the knockout stage in Miami, Florida. Entering extra innings with the game tied at four apiece, Taiwan scored
MISSION OF PEACE: The foreign minister urged Beijing to respect Taiwan’s existence as an independent nation, and work together to ensure peace and stability in the region Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday rejected Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi’s (王毅) comments about Taiwan, criticizing China as a “troublemaker” in the international community and a disruptor of cross-strait peace. Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the Chinese National People’s Congress, Wang said that Taiwan has always been a territory of China and that it would be impossible for it to become its own country. The “return” of Taiwan to China was the natural outcome of the Chinese people’s resistance against Japan in World War II, and that any pursuit of independence was “doomed
‘UNWAVERING FRIENDSHIP’: A representative of a Japanese group that co-organized a memorial, said he hopes Japanese never forget Taiwan’s kindness President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, urging continued cooperation between Taiwan and Japan on disaster prevention and humanitarian assistance. Lai wrote on social media that Taiwan and Japan have always helped each other in the aftermath of major disasters. The magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, triggering a massive tsunami that claimed more than 19,000 lives, according to data from Japanese authorities. Following the disaster, Taiwan donated more than US$240 million in aid, making it one of the largest contributors of financial assistance to Japan. In addition to cash donations and
RSS