Business

A draft Chinese finance law proposes tools to counter foreign sanctions, protect offshore assets and impose national security checks on financial data, with potential effects for offshore centers including Panama.

A March 20, 2026 report says Panama’s recent power tender drew bids that were about 90% renewable, with up to 1.4 GW of capacity offered, signaling strong clean-energy interest.

China’s exports of rare-earth permanent magnets to the U.S. fell to 994 tonnes in Jan-Feb, down about 22.5% year-on-year, marking a seventh straight month of decline as Washington and allies diversify supply chains.

InvestHK chief Alpha Lau urged Hong Kong to capitalise on its “safe haven” status to draw companies relocating from Dubai amid Middle East tensions, as firms weigh rising costs and uncertainty.

Swire Coca-Cola won a HK$31.9 million, 27-month contract to supply Bonaqua water to Hong Kong government offices, following last year’s HK$52.9 million bottled water procurement scandal.

Specialist Federico Marengo says Panama must invest in training its workforce to close a labor gap as the country’s services platform continues to expand.

Costa Rica and Panama signed a bilateral rail agreement reported by The Tico Times, aiming to explore rail connectivity with broader regional ambitions. The deal marks a step toward potential cross‑border transport cooperation, though specific project details remain limited.

Huawei launched the Atlas 350 inference accelerator powered by its Ascend 950PR chip, claiming better performance than Nvidia’s H20 as AI moves into a more agentic phase.

China imported 21.8 million tonnes of Russian crude in Jan–Feb 2026, up 40.9% year-on-year, but the dollar value rose only 5.8% as the Iran war may reshape future demand.

Unitree Robotics has filed to list on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking 4.2 billion yuan (US$610 million) after revenue rose to 1.71 billion yuan amid growing demand for embodied AI and robots.

The Philippines has signed multiple international agreements to develop its critical minerals but analysts warn a clear national road map is needed to reach globally competitive standards.

Lloyd’s List reports China has increased detentions of Panama-flagged vessels, prompting concern among shipowners and financiers about inspections, financing and insurance risks.

ByteDance has agreed to sell Moonton, developer of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, to Saudi-owned Savvy Games Group for over US$6 billion as ByteDance focuses on AI.

President José Raúl Mulino denied Panama failed to meet arbitration obligations in the CK Hutchison ports dispute, saying international lawyers will defend the country after the Supreme Court annulled the concession.

Panama has rejected a Hong Kong firm’s claim that the country ignored an arbitration decision, The China-Global South Project reported on March 20, 2026. Details on the arbitration forum and next legal steps remain limited.

Al Jazeera warns the main threat to the Strait of Hormuz is disruption in its approaches rather than a full closure, a distinction with implications for global shipping and trade, including Panama and Latin America.

Reports say Iran has tightened screening and imposed steep transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving ships and crews confined as the IMO urges a “safe maritime framework.”

Panama has accused a CK Hutchison subsidiary of misrepresenting its response in an arbitration case, the South China Morning Post reported, raising procedural and reputational issues for the dispute.

Lloyd’s List reports Iran is developing a vetting system that would allow ships to use an IRGC-approved ‘safe corridor’ through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially affecting shipping costs and global trade.

Panama’s president has publicly accused CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company of lying, escalating a dispute tied in reporting to weakening carrier profits amid geopolitical strain. Details remain limited as observers await official responses and potential regulatory or legal developments.