President Ma Ying-jeou on July 26 bestowed the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon on Panama Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez in recognition of his outstanding contributions in promoting interaction and cooperative relations between the two nations.
The ceremony to bestow the honor was held at 9:30 a.m. at the Presidential Office. Among those witnessing the event were Mrs. Varela, Panama Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General of Foreign Policy Alfredo Castillero Hoyos, Panama Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General of Special Projects and International Cooperation María Celia Dopeso López, ROC National Security Council Secretary-General Hu Wei-jen, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang.
After receiving the decoration from President Ma, Vice President Varela stated that the ROC and Panama have a longstanding alliance that dates back to 1923 when Panama established a consulate in the ROC. In addition, he commented that the history of ethnic Chinese in Panama also dates back centuries. In the mid-19th century, for instance, many ethnic Chinese were involved in the building of a railroad in Panama. The railroad, which was completed in 1855, to this day constitutes an important link in the transportation network that supports the Panama Canal, he said. Vice President Varela added that ethnic Chinese have long blended into Panama society and the people of Panama are deeply impressed by the diligence and character of the Chinese people.
Vice President Varela praised President Ma's series of efforts since taking office to improve cross-strait relations. He said he believes that these moves are reducing tension across the Taiwan Strait and are fostering better understanding between the two sides. This is also conducive to stronger cross-strait economic, social, and cultural ties and creates greater opportunity for Taiwan to participate in important international activities.
Vice President Varela noted that cooperative relations in the economic and political spheres between the ROC and Panama are quite close, and stressed his hope that the two will continue to strengthen ties in the future. In addition, the vice president expressed his appreciation to the ROC for the assistance it has provided his nation in various infrastructure and development projects.
President Ma praised Vice President Varela as an outstanding politician, and noted that the ROC and Panama signed a free trade agreement in 2003, the first such pact that the ROC government had signed with a diplomatic ally. He pointed that by 2008 Taiwan's exports to Panama had increased 1.9 times over the level of 2003, while Panama's exports to Taiwan had risen by a factor of nearly 11, making for an increase of 2.4 times in total bilateral trade during that period. In the first half of 2010, the ROC's exports to Panama increased 53.57% year-on-year, while Panama's exports to the ROC increased 204.51%, with overall bilateral trade up by 68%. This demonstrates that the efforts made by both sides over the past half year have taken bilateral trade back to the levels seen prior to the recession. President Ma also said he believes that there is even further room for growth in the future.
President Ma explained to Vice President Varela that over the past two years Taiwan and mainland China have signed 14 agreements, thus establishing a comprehensive mechanism for normalized trade and economic relations between the two sides. This is extremely helpful in terms of fostering orderly investment and trade. The president reiterated that the ROC and Panama maintain a solid alliance and that existing cooperation projects can be expanded and extended as long as both sides reach a consensus to do so.