Representatives of Panama’s government and China Railway Design Corporation held their first technical meeting over a proposed rail line in the Central American country, Panama’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Monday.

The project is among 22 cooperation agreements signed between Panama and China since the two established diplomatic ties in June 2017, the ministry said in a statement.

The meeting held Friday was presided over by Roberto Roy, Panamanian minister of Panama Canal Affairs and director general of Panama Metro. The agenda was conducting a feasibility study for a rail route for cargo and passenger trains linking Panama City with the northwestern province of Chiriqui on the border with neighboring Costa Rica.

The rail line would shorten the time of transit between the capital and the border region, which is some 450 km away, to just two and a half hours and is expected to spur trade.

The project is part of China’s efforts to promote global growth and integration through joint infrastructure projects in different parts of the world.