On May 30, 2019, Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with President-elect Laurentino Cortizo of Panama in Panama City.

Conveying warm congratulations and sincere greetings from President Xi Jinping to Laurentino Cortizo, Qin Gang wished that Panama could score more development achievements under the leadership of Laurentino Cortizo. Qin Gang stressed that the Chinese side is willing to work with the new Panamanian government to constantly deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation to further elevate the level of bilateral relations and the quality of cooperation.

Laurentino Cortizo noted that the new government supports the establishment of Panama-China diplomatic relations and will abide by the one-China principle and continue to push Panama-China relations for in-depth development on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.