OPINION: Two sides of China’s environmental coin

China is an economic superpower with an important level of environmental awareness. Its government has been developing ecological initiatives for years to clean up rivers, ports and the air of their cities. It is the leading country in clean technologies. All this contrasts with the behavior of one of its companies that came to our country to invest in large-scale projects. 

Panama needs those works and the thousands of jobs they represent. However, the actual cost of these requires further consideration. For example, in Colon, a container port is being built on Margarita Island, next to a very delicate area of ​​coral reefs and mangroves of great importance. 

The Chinese company that develops the project has not wanted to take these concerns into account, nor did the administration of Juan Carlos Varela, that granted the approval to the port.

 An investigation by the Canadian University of McGill and the Smithsonian Institute, reveals all the natural heritage that is at risk, and the insensitive attitude of the company. The message from President Cortizo’s government should be that Panama needs China to be a good partner, not another bad investor– LA PRENSA, Dec. 25