THE FIRST  ambassador of the People's Republic of China to  Panama, Wei Qiang, presented his credentials to President Juan Carlos Varela on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

Varela, was accompanied by the vice president and chancellor, Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado.

The Chinese diplomat has worked for the Directorate of Latin America and the Caribbean. He also served in Chile, Colombia and as ambassador to Barbados.

Panama and the People's Republic have started a relationship in June that led to the departure of the Taiwan embassy.

The history of the two countries goes back to the beginning of the construction of the railroad and the Panama Canal and since that time Chinese descendants have become part of the economy, gastronomic, ethnic and cultural history of the nation says La Estrella.

In mid-November, President Varela will make an official visit to China whose leader was described this week by The Economist, as the most powerful man in the world.

Other ambassadors
Other ambassadors who presented credentials were Damion Potter, (United Kingdom); Lupo del Bono, (Malta) Brice Roquefuil (France) Ibrahim Mohammed Juma (United Arab Emirates).

Other representatives who presented their credentials were Michel Dewes (Belgium) Leszek Bialy (Poland) and Alfredo Pineda(El  Salvador)