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On The Subject of China Building a Rail Link From Panama City to Chiriquí


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The Works that China Could Develop in Panama

Building a train to the border with Costa Rica and participating in the hydroelectric project Chan II are two of the works that the Asian country could develop in Panama.

Monday, September 18, 2017

This was explained by President Varela himself at the ceremony to open a Chinese embassy in the country. In addition to opening the embassy, Chinese government officials signed a mutual cooperation agreement with the Varela administration. 

In regards to the interest in developing public infrastructure works, President Juan Carlos Varela explained that " ... they will be working on a feasibility study for building a train from Panama to the border with Costa Rica. In addition, they will be studying "... the possibility of participating in the Chan II hydroelectric project in Bocas del Toro."

See: "Interest of Chinese banks in Panama"

Prensa.com reported that "... Chancellor Isabel Saint Malo referred to opportunities for investment and mutual cooperation, and invited companies to participate in the tenders under the government's investment plan, aimed at social infrastructure projects and Logistics."

 

http://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/The_Works_that_China_Could_Develop_in_Panama

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One of the proposals that came out of last week's diplomatic visit by the PRC is a train from Panama to Chiriqui. The Chinese said they would take a year to study the potential project.

This project may go ahead even if it's not economically feasible because, imo, the PRC wants to reward Panama for their new alliance.

http://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/Varela-China-construccion-Panama-Chiriqui_3_1065523484.html

 

Edited by Keith Woolford
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OFF THE CUFF: Guideline for Panama rail future?

train-620x264.jpg
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WHEN a Japanese railway company, renowned for its punctuality apologized on social media for having left a station 20  seconds early, transport users across the world were quick to react, comparing the company’s record to their own services.

There were even Tweets from Germany with a reputation (perhaps undeserved) for trains running on time.

Panama public transit users used to long waits for no-show Metro buses were not seen among the thousands of messages.

The Japanese train is famed for always arriving at the exact time. It travels from Akihabara, in the east of Tokyo, to Tsukuba, 58 km away, in about 45 minutes and there are eight stops on the way. Panama is looking to China to construct a railway to David, Chiriqui, and beyond.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/columns/the-cuff/off-cuff-guideline-panama-rail-future

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China to study Panama-Chiriqui  rail link

presidente-Varela-Xi-Jinping-Beijing_LPRVID20171117_0001_27-1-620x264.jpg 
Varela and Chinese President Xi Jinping
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ON THE HEELS of the news that  Air China will be initiating two flights a week to Panama in March 2018, President Juan Carlos Varela announced  on Monday, November 20, that  an agreement  has been signed for China to carry out the pre-feasibility study of a  rail system  that would include a passenger and cargo train linking the provinces  of Panama and Chiriqui The president and his 60-plus delegation  of politicians  and businessmen traveled on Monday from Beijing city to Shanghai on a high-speed train.

In  a keynote  speech at Renmin University of China where he was awarded an honorary doctorate and appointed as an honorary adviser to the university’s Center for Latin American Studies Varela pledged to “enhance pragmatic cooperation in all fields with China and  play an active part in the Belt and Road endeavor (the plan to replicate the  recently completed China to London road-rail link, with a link running from South America to Alaska)

“The Belt and Road Initiative is a very good one. It will connect all the ports, airports among various countries to achieve connectivity and common development of all countries. Panama, the first Latin American country to support the initiative, will actively participate in it,” said Varela.   He also pledged firm adherence to the one-China principle.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/china-study-panama-chiriqui-rail-link

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  • Admin_01 changed the title to On The Subject of China Building a Rail Link From Panama City to Chiriquí (and Beyond?)
  • 3 weeks later...
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Panama moves closer to rail link with Costa Rica

china-620x264.jpg 
Chinese Minister of Commerce
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PANAMA  moved  a step closer to building a rail link to the Costa Rican border on Thursday, December 7   with the signing of an agreement with China to initiate a feasibility study in 2018.

It was signed by Luis Miguel Hincapie,  in charge of  Panama’s  Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Zhong Shan,  Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Panama President Juan Carlos Varela and Panamanian Trade Minister Augusto Arosemana at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama.

The Chinese Minister of Commerce said that the purpose of his visit was to follow up on the agreements reached during Varela’s visit in  November. “In turn, I have highlighted the potential of infrastructure construction for both nations.”

With the signing of this agreement, China confirms that “it will grant the financing and the feasibility study for the rail project of the Republic of Panama,” Arosemena said.

Both Arosemena and  Zhong Shan indicated the need to accelerate the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both nations, which should be completed by the first half of 2018.

“We hope to complete the feasibility study in June 2018 and immediately launch the negotiations,” said Arosemena.

In addition, in educational matters through an exchange of notes, both governments agreed on the amount of funding for the non-reimbursable cooperation of projects for the strengthening of “human resources, scholarships and seminars”.

Panama opened diplomatic relations with China lin June. Months later, in November, President Juan Carlos Varela met with his counterpart Xi Jinping, and from these meetings, a series of trade, economic and cooperation agreements were signed between both nations.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/panama-moves-closer-rail-link-costa-rica

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  • Moderator_02 changed the title to On the Possibility of a Train from Panama City to Chiriqui, and Onward to Costa Rica
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Panama: A Train to the Costa Rican Border

The Chinese government has confirmed that it will finance a feasibility study to build a freight and passenger train connecting the Panamanian capital with the border of Costa Rica.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Through the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, financing will be provided for analysis on the feasibility, benefits, main technical parameters, estimated investment, risk factors, and other components for a railway system that will connect the provinces of Panama and Chiriqui.

From a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 

December 7, 2017.- The People's Republic of China has confirmed today that it will finance a feasibility study for a freight and passenger train connecting the Panamanian capital with the border with Costa Rica, following an agreement signed between the Chinese Minister of Commerce, Zhong Shan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge, Luis Miguel Hincapié, in a ceremony where the President of the Republic of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, participated as a witness of honor.

Through the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, financing will be provided for analysis on the feasibility, benefits, main technical parameters, estimated investment, risk factors, and other components for a railway system that will connect the provinces of Panama and Chiriqui.

"We want to take advantage of the experience and technological development of Chinese companies in rail transport systems," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Miguel Hincapié, adding that the project "is part of the initiative of the Strip and the Route, which encourages global cooperation and supports the development of the countries that are part of it".

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_A_Train_to_the_Costa_Rican_Border

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This is only a feasibility study.

Any economic evalulation will show that the construction investment & operating costs of a train (freight and/or passenger) will significantly exceed any potential revenue generation. The only way this could ever be justified is through heavy government subsidies. The private sector could never make this profitable.

The Panama Canal is a cash generator. A train project would be cash vacuum cleaner.

 

Edited by John R Hampton
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Hampton brings up an interesting point. My experience says that it is good business procedure to do a feasibility study up front. Unlike Hampton who suggests it is only about money, a feasibility study usually addresses other aspects of a large project, such as technical challenges, environmental issues, political winds, public interest and support, etc., etc.

I disagree with his last sentence, which is his opinion.

I don’t understand the continuing interest in connecting Panama City with Costa Rica. Can someone help me understand why Costa Rica is so important to Panama, other than being a neighboring country? 

If a train is built, I doubt that I will live long enough to see it in operation.

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8 hours ago, BD said:

Hampton brings up an interesting point. My experience says that it is good business procedure to do a feasibility study up front. Unlike Hampton who suggests it is only about money, a feasibility study usually addresses other aspects of a large project, such as technical challenges, environmental issues, political winds, public interest and support, etc., etc.

I disagree with his last sentence, which is his opinion.

I don’t understand the continuing interest in connecting Panama City with Costa Rica. Can someone help me understand why Costa Rica is so important to Panama, other than being a neighboring country? 

If a train is built, I doubt that I will live long enough to see it in operation.

We spent the day Monday getting the paperwork for our E Cedula in PC with our attorneys representative. We asked him what the Panamanians thought of this new train?

He expressed that if you ask the majority of average Panamanians they will say what is the purpose of this train? For more tourist? He said many people of Panama are tired of all the corruption, lack of improved schools for better education, overcrowded Medical Facilities. Those issues are more important to them than a train to Costa Rica.

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2 hours ago, TwoSailors said:

We spent the day Monday getting the paperwork for our E Cedula in PC with our attorneys representative. We asked him what the Panamanians thought of this new train?

He expressed that if you ask the majority of average Panamanians they will say what is the purpose of this train? For more tourist? He said many people of Panama are tired of all the corruption, lack of improved schools for better education, overcrowded Medical Facilities. Those issues are more important to them than a train to Costa Rica.

 

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Just now, Jim Tosch said:

 

The Chinese are doing the feasibility study. The Chinese are likely to get the contract to build the train. Does anyone really doubt the study will approve the concept?  As to how long it will take, the Chinese government is short of cash, you could get surprised!

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Interesting and dramatic differences in work ethics of the two countries. Maybe the locals should think about these things.

How long does it take to build a house here? How long should it take to build a house here? Food for thought. (Or train station, or commercial building, or xyz?)

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1 hour ago, Keith Woolford said:

This video clip that's been making the rounds, showing a small army of 1,500 Chinese workers putting together a train station in less than 9 hours, apparently has some folks here concerned about their ability to compete.

 

 

Panamanian workers should be worried. There's a recognized work ethic difference between Panama and Colombia and between Panama and Costa Rica. And the Chinese most likely would put them all to shame.

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China understands long term investing in other countries. They can build this line. Panama should approve it fast. Financing the entire project with very small annual payments always works out for China's partners.

Edited by Hil
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Annnnnndddddd, we will see if the government backs down after the long haul bus operators object and start blocking the interamerican...Talking to a taxi driver last week in David, he told me the cost of a licence and a bus for the Panama-David route was over $1 million

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