U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has applauded Panama for choosing not to renew a trade and infrastructure development agreement with China, calling the decision “a great step forward” for the country’s relationship with the United States.
Rubio is on a six-day trip to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, marking his official overseas travel as the top U.S. diplomat under President Donald Trump. The State Department said Rubio would advance Trump’s America First foreign policy during his trip, which ends on Feb. 6.
After holding talks with Rubio, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said on Feb. 2 that his country would not renew its participation in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as “One Belt, One Road.” Mulino said the agreement was set to expire in two to three years but could be terminated sooner….