A sharp diplomatic exchange has erupted in Panama between the United States and Chinese embassies, with Taiwan at the center of the dispute. The clash was triggered by public comments from US Ambassador Kevin Marino Cabrera defending a newly formed Panama-Taiwan parliamentary group in the National Assembly, comments that drew a pointed rebuke from Beijing’s diplomatic mission.
What Happened
The controversy began at a public event where the United States donated four drones to Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (Senan). During the ceremony, Ambassador Cabrera defended recent trips by Panamanian deputies to Taipei and the creation of the Panama-Taiwan Multiparty Parliamentary Exchange Group, which was finalized in the National Assembly on September 8.
Speaking in an ironic tone, Cabrera mocked Beijing’s protests over Taiwan’s interactions with Panamanian lawmakers. “It’s an obsession they have that isn’t very healthy, but I don’t know, they say that with a bad tongue, if you say the word Taiwan three times, the Chinese ambassador appears, so I don’t know, their obsession is something very strange,” the American diplomat said.
The Chinese Embassy responded on social media. Although it did not mention Cabrera by name, it accompanied its message with a photograph of the American ambassador. “Youth is no excuse for ignorance. Prejudice is the most dangerous poison,” the mission stated, accusing certain actors of disregarding international principles of sovereignty. The post continued: “In the eyes of bandits, might makes right, everyone is unprotected and they can take whatever they want: what’s mine is mine, what’s yours is mine too, and the whole planet belongs to me. I am the king of the world.”
Cabrera did not back down. “Panama is a sovereign, democratic country, and people here can make their own decisions. In China, they are not used to that. They don’t allow people in their own country to travel,” he said, before making personal remarks about his Chinese counterpart’s suit and language skills. “I know that in his photo he hasn’t learned how to put on a suit; perhaps he’ll learn soon,” Cabrera said, adding that the ambassador should “educate himself a little and not be so culturally ignorant.”
Background
Panama switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China in 2017. Until then, Panama had recognized Taiwan, the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory and which counts the United States as its main international ally.
The current dispute unfolds as Panama becomes an increasingly strategic point of contention between Washington and Beijing. In April 2025, during a visit to Panama, then-US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned that the United States would not allow “China to jeopardize the operation or integrity of the Canal” and advocated for a greater US role in the waterway’s security.
On September 14, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun called on Washington to stop sending “erroneous signals” about Taiwan and to stop “disrupting and undermining” China-Panama relations.
What This Means for Panama
China’s embassy has been emphatic that any institutional action violating the ‘One China’ principle directly affects the bilateral relationship between Beijing and Panama. This places Panama in a delicate position as the parliamentary group’s activities continue without Executive Branch backing.
President José Raúl Mulino has reiterated that the trips, exchanges, and approaches of National Assembly members with Taiwan do not have the endorsement or support of the Executive Branch, drawing a distinction between legislative initiatives and official government policy.
The episode underscores how Panama’s territory has once again become a stage for US-China rivalry, with the Canal and now parliamentary diplomacy serving as flashpoints between the two powers.
This story was originally reported by Newsroom Panama.