opinion

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The Peoples Republic of China and Panama

by Miguel Antonio Bernal

Those who really hold power in Panama, represented by the current government, insist on denying the existence of the Peoples Republic of China and maintain the absurd failure to establish full diplomatic relations with the Chinese people. It ought to fill us with shame and indignation, but the country is in the hands of a government of mediocrities who prefer to put on an absurd little show instead of putting Panama in the ranks of the world's nations where we deserve to be.

On the occasion of yet one more anniversary of the foundation of the Peoples Republic of China, I reproduce an article that I wrote about this 32 years ago, in Dialogo Social magazine, issue 67, on May 1, 1975:

For 15 days, from April 3 through 17, the Peoples Republic of China presented itself in Panama by way of an economic and commercial exposition in the gymnasium of the Escuela Profesional Isabel Herrera de Obaldia.

Thousands of Panamanians of all ages took the opportunity to learn of the progress made by the Chinese people these past 30 years.

The pavillion that housed the exposition showed us countless products, ranging from traditional Chinese ceramics to heavy machinery, including iron and steel tools, appliances and calculators, medical implements, chemical products, textiles, sewing machines, agricultural machinery, foodstuffs, light industrial products, handicrafts, bicycles and so on.

The presentation's variety was complemented by documentaries, films and books about the Red Flag Canal, the bridge over the Yangtze in Nanking, the Taching refinery, the Pi-shi Jang irrigation project, the Shashan irrigation district and things dedicated to China, its culture and its educational system. How did a country of 800 million people dispersed over the 9,551,000 square kilometers accomplish such a high index of economic and social growth?

How is it that a people until a few years ago ignored by the majority of countries today maintains commercial relations with more than 150 countries and territories in the world and has diplomatic relations with more than 90? These and many other questions were without doubt raised in the minds of countless people who visited the exposition. There is but one answer to this and other questions: the radical transformation of socio-economic structures thanks to the triumph of the 1949 Revolution and iron will to build socialism.

Today the Chinese people are progressively raising themselves by developing their productive forces. The Chinese people are guaranteed jobs and sustenance thanks to low and stable prices of basic necessities, reduced housing rents and low rates for drinking water and electric utilities (which generally amount to about four or five percent of their salaries) and the absence of an income tax. Chinese workers enjoy free medical care, labor protections and other welfare services. Special care is given to pregnant women, old people, the sick and the disabled. The status of women has changed enormously and they now enjoy equality with men in the fields of politics, economic and culture, as well as in society and family life. Various laws have been enacted to give them special protection on the job and the principle of equal pay for equal work is applied.

There are countless public cafeterias, nurseries and day care centers. Family planning and the sharing of housework between husbands and wives is encouraged. All of this is not only to guarantee women's health, but also to free wives from the burdens of houseword and expand their opportunities to take part in productive labor and political activities.

Dialogo Social fervently advocates the quick establishment of diplomatic, trade and cultural relations between our country, Panama, and the People's Republic of China.

The author is an attorney, law professor and member of the Colegio de Abogados Honor Tribunal. He's also an award-winning journalist and host of the Alternativa radio show, a veteran human rights activist, past president of the local chapter of the Alliance Française and an independent candidate for mayor of Panama City in the 2009 elections.

Also in this section:

Bernal, Panama and China
Falun Gong, Should the world boycott the Beijing Olympics?
Leis, The privatization of air
Carpio, Disaster reduction: made in Japan
James, Disaster relief in the Caribbean Basin
Pilgrim, Don't roll the dice on decent values and their opposite
Sánchez, Venezuela turns its attention from MERCOSUR to the Andean nations
Reporters Without Borders, Cuba arrests six journalists in 24 hours

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