The Republic of China (ROC) embassy in Panama is to be formally closed today, while Panama’s embassy in Taipei will also be shuttered, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said yesterday.
Diplomatic staff will leave and all bilateral cooperation programs are to be terminated, Wang told a news conference at the ministry.
However, the ROC-Panama free-trade agreement is to remain in force until the two nations reach a new consensus on bilateral trade relations or sign a new trade deal, she said.
Although Panama has said it hopes commercial offices can be opened in each other’s territory, the government is still studying the proposal, Wang said.
Questions as to whether such offices would have consular functions, such as issuing travel documents, would have to be resolved through bilateral talks, she added.
Panama switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China on June 13.
After Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela’s announced the establishment of ties with Beijing, Minster of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) said in Taipei that the ROC was terminating relations with the Central American nation.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
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