Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is welcoming a move by Panama's National
Assembly to establishe an inter-parliamentary friendship group with Taiwan's
Legislature.

This comes as Panama's National Assembly officially established the exchange
group with the Legislative Yuan in Panama city.

Lin said via video message that Taiwan is now looking forward to further
deepening parliamentary diplomacy and expanding bilateral cooperation and
exchanges with Panama.

He called the move an opportunity to facilitate bilateral exchanges and
advance mutual interests.

The ministry also says the inter-parliamentary friendship group was formed
after more than 20 Panamanian lawmakers visited Taiwan over the past six
months.... with 45 of the assembly's 71 lawmakers having joined the group.

Panama severed formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing in June
of 2017... but several lawmakers have since expressed a strong interest in
restoring formal ties.