Panama, China to open trade talks in July

PANAMA CITY, May 30 (AFP): China and Panama will begin negotiations on a free trade agreement in the first half of July, the Central American country's Commerce Minister Augusto Arosemena said Tuesday.

"The first round of negotiations will be in the month of July in Panama and then it will take the number of rounds it takes to negotiate an accord that is beneficial for both countries," Arosemena told journalists.

Panama switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China last year.

Since then, both countries have signed a score of cooperation agreements on economic, commercial, migration, customs and education.