PANAMA’S ties with China have expanded rapidly since the two countries established diplomatic relations after Panama broke ties with Taiwan which had curried favor with the Martinelli administration with a “gift” of a $22 million presidential jet.

On Friday a Panamanian negotiating team, including businessmen headed to China to develop the pending free trade agreement.

The day before  18 young people from different provinces received scholarships to study in graduate and postgraduate courses in  Chinese universities starting at the end of August.  Wei Qiang, the Chinese ambassador to Panama distributed the scholarships.

The Director .of Foreign Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nicole Wong, said that six Chinese students who were granted scholarships by the Student Mobility Program Panama Coopera are in Panama.