The visit by Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela to China in November 2017 was no ordinary state visit. It was the first time he had visited China since Panama switched its diplomatic relations from Taiwan to Beijing in June last, a move which led China’s President Xi Jinping to label Varela a “hero”, asserting that he had shown “great vision, political courage and responsibility”. Here we look at the fallout from Panama’s move and the implications for the rest of Central America which, bar Costa Rica, continues to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.End of preview - This article contains approximately 1418 words.
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