Beijing slams Washington after Panama lawmakers join ‘anti-China’ group
Beijing has dismissed the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China as a tool of Washington and accused it of spreading disinformation
China’s state media and diplomats lashed out at Washington on Wednesday after nine Panamanian lawmakers joined a global parliamentary alliance that Beijing denounced as an anti-China front.
The move, announced in Panama’s National Assembly a day earlier at a ceremony backed by the US ambassador, drew sharp criticism from state outlets such as the China Daily and Global Times, which accused Washington of coercion and manipulation.
The lawmakers declared their membership in the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, known as IPAC, on Tuesday. The event was attended by US Ambassador Kevin Cabrera, who said Panama’s participation aligned the country with democratic partners even as he warned of growing Chinese influence worldwide.
“Cabrera’s move represents the latest proof of the US’ coercive and bullying actions”, a China Daily editorial said, terming it “a brazen attempt to drive a wedge between China and Panama”.
Cabrera cited what he described as cyberattacks in Latin America and economic practices that generate unsustainable debt. He also pointed to a Chinese-owned company that Panama’s comptroller general says owes the government US$600 million.
One of the deputies, Manuel Cohen, said the coalition’s central mission was to “defend democracy and human rights in each of the nations we love”.
He added that the Assembly’s commitment was to safeguard the democratic system against external interference and announced that IPAC will hold an international meeting in November to examine China’s influence in greater detail.
IPAC was founded in June 2020 by parliamentarians from eight countries and the European Parliament, on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
It now includes more than 240 members from 27 national legislatures and the European Parliament.
The alliance campaigns on issues ranging from human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet to China’s policies in Hong Kong and its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The coalition is supported financially by the US government-backed National Endowment for Democracy, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and the Open Society Foundations.
Beijing has dismissed the group as a tool of Washington and accused it of spreading disinformation. Some members have faced sanctions, travel bans and cyberattacks attributed to Chinese actors.
On Wednesday, China Daily condemned the US role in Panama, calling the ambassador’s actions “despicable” and accusing Washington of creating excuses to strengthen its hold over the Panama Canal.
The paper said only a small minority of deputies had been drawn into what it called a US anti-China agenda.
The Global Times echoed the criticism, warning lawmakers not to fall prey to “Cold War mentality”. It described IPAC as a “political body with no credibility”, arguing that it had been designed from the start to undermine China’s rise.
The Chinese Embassy in Panama issued a statement urging the National Assembly to respect the country’s sovereignty and independence.
It said China-Panama relations benefit both sides and enjoy wide support in Panamanian society. The embassy called it “despicable for the US to instigate some Panamanian lawmakers to join the IPAC to tie them to the US’ anti-China chariot”.
Panama switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2017, opening the door to a series of trade and infrastructure agreements with Beijing.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. The US, like most countries, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Panama subsequently became a focal point in the growing geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.
US President Donald Trump accused China of “operating” the Panama Canal, a claim rejected by Panamanian leaders, and vowed that the US would “take it back”, setting the tone for renewed strategic tension over control of the canal.
US soybean farmers urge Trump to make purchase deal with China
China, the world’s top soybean buyer, is turning to Brazilian cargoes amid trade tensions with the US, which could cost US farmers billions
American soybean farmers urged US President Donald Trump in a Tuesday letter to reach a trade deal with China that secures significant soybean purchase agreements, warning of dire long-term economic outcomes if the country continues to shun the US crop.
“Soybean farmers are under extreme financial stress. Prices continue to drop and at the same time our farmers are paying significantly more for inputs and equipment.
“US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer,” said the letter sent from the American Soybean Association (ASA) to Trump on Tuesday.
China’s turn to Brazilian soybeans could cost US farmers billions. China bought 54 per cent of US soybean exports in the 2023-2024 marketing year, worth US$13.2 billion, according to the ASA. The country’s soybean imports hit a record July high this year.
