Two weeks after the first official round of negotiations and with the aim of aligning criteria, the Panamanian government has started a process of consultations with the business sector.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that ” …The consultation process seeks to align the vision of the government institutions and agree on objectives with the private sector to define the points of greatest interest that the Panamanian team will present in the negotiation rounds.“

From the Ministry of Commerce and Industries:

May 15, 2018. The Government of the Republic of Panama continues the process of consultations with the public and private sectors, prior to the launch of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with the People’s Republic of China, whose date is scheduled for June 12, 2018 in the city of Beijing, with the participation of the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Augusto Arosemena, and his Chinese counterpart, Zhong Shan. Within the framework of this ministerial meeting an organizational round will be held with a view to align criteria for the first round of negotiations to be held in the city of Panama during the month of July.   

The consultation process seeks to align the vision of the government institutions and agree on objectives with the private sector to define the points of greatest interest that the Panamanian team will present in the negotiation rounds.

Read full release (in Spanish).