China strongly deplores the demolition of a Chinese monument by a local government in Panama and has lodged protests with the Panamanian side, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.
From Saturday night to Sunday morning, the China-Panama Friendship Park and the monument commemorating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese people in Panama was demolished by a local government.
"China strongly deplores the demolition of the monument by a local government in Panama and has lodged protests with the Panamanian side," Lin said. "We have noted that this act has aroused public outrage in Panama. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has publicly condemned the act, and the presidential office of Panama has ordered the immediate reconstruction of the monument on its original site. We urge the Panamanian side to thoroughly investigate the matter, promptly correct the wrong acts of the relevant local government, and eliminate the adverse effects timely," he said.
China lodges protests over monument demolition in Panama: spokesman
China lodges protests over monument demolition in Panama: spokesman
China lodges protests over monument demolition in Panama: spokesman
Impact of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is pushing Gulf countries to revisit costly plans for pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, so that they can continue to export oil and gas, the Financial Times newspaper reported on Thursday.
"Officials and industry executives say new pipelines may be the only way to reduce Gulf countries' enduring vulnerability to disruption in the strait, even though such projects would be expensive, politically complex and take years to complete," said the report.
"Previous plans for pipelines across the region have repeatedly stalled, undone by high costs and complexity," it said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global energy corridor bordered by Iran to the north.
Around a fifth of global liquefied natural gas supply passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which also carries about one quarter of global seaborne oil trade.
Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes against Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, while tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz by restricting passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.
Gulf countries consider new pipelines to avoid Strait of Hormuz: Financial Times
