巴拿马，位于中美洲地峡，有着“中美洲明珠”的美誉。被誉为“世界黄金水道”的巴拿马运河、历史与现代交融的巴拿马城、如诗如画且充满原始风情的圣布拉斯群岛……巴拿马因得天独厚的地理位置和悠久璀璨的文化而为世界熟知。

2017年7月，中巴两国正式建交，两国高层来往愈发频繁，经贸、文化、教育等领域合作不断拓展，双边关系也进入高速发展时期。中国与巴拿马的友谊，就如同川流不息的巴拿马运河一般充满生机和活力。近日，《瞭望新时代》杂志社（下简称“瞭新社”）邀请巴拿马共和国驻广州总领事罗杰·阿尔瓦拉多（S.S. Roger Alvarado）展开了一场对话，他向大家分享了他与中国的情缘以及新一年里中巴合作的新方向。

巴拿马共和国驻广州总领事罗杰·阿尔瓦拉多（S.S. Roger Alvarado）

中国之缘：“我见证了中国飞速发展的壮丽过程”

“我在1997年就因从商踏上了中国这片土地，并多次与她产生深刻联系。”阿尔瓦拉多总领事缓缓回忆起他与中国的缘分。

此后的20多年间，他经常往返中巴两国，在广州、深圳、上海、厦门等多个城市寻找商业机遇，推动中巴经贸合作。而这也让他见证了中国迅速崛起的过程。“这些年来，中国发生了翻天覆地的变化，一切都充满了希望，处处欣欣向荣。”阿尔瓦拉多总领事赞叹道，“多次往来中巴，让我见证了中国飞速发展的壮丽过程。”

今年1月，他以外交官的新身份来到了广州。“我从今年开始担任外交官并上任巴拿马驻广州总领事，一切都是新的开始。”在外交生涯的伊始，阿尔瓦拉多总领事就马不停蹄地到访了中国南方多个城市。

前不久，阿尔瓦拉多总领事赴福建省出席第二届中美洲民间商贸交流会。在闽期间，他还参观了多个当地民营企业，为两地后续合作助力。阿尔瓦拉多总领事告诉瞭新社记者，巴拿马在国际贸易发展经验和发展成果方面都具有很强的优势，“因此，我很高兴在交流会上认识了很多中国企业家、投资者。这将大大有利于未来中美洲和中国的合作。”

阿尔瓦拉多总领事（中）与福建民营企业家交流

阿尔瓦拉多总领事还携团队前往华为深圳总部及其位于东莞的培训中心，深入了解中国人工智能算法的创新发展。从人工智能算法，到无人驾驶汽车、多语种图书馆，阿尔瓦拉多总领事在参观后感慨，“当谈及中国华为的时候，很多人联想到的是手机或者智能手表。然而，华为还正致力于可持续发展，承担起清洁能源开发与使用的企业责任。”他表示，期待未来巴拿马企业能够与以华为为代表的中国高新企业开展深入合作，实现双赢。

阿尔瓦拉多总领事（中）一行参观华为培训中心

“我之前就多次来到广州。广州给我的印象就是美丽、安全以及生机勃勃，”阿尔瓦拉多总领事说，“广州是多元化的，例如你可以在这里品尝到不同国家的美味佳肴。另外，我的中国朋友们也非常友好且有人情味，令我爱上了这片热土。”对于本次上任，“我感到非常开心。这不仅仅是因为巴拿马与中国的友谊深厚，更是因为中国人让我倍感亲切。我殷切期望，能在广州这个美丽的地方，为巴拿马和中国的未来合作与美好前景贡献一份力量。”

巴拿马人文：大洋孕育出的闪耀明珠

巴拿马位于中美洲地峡，巴拿马运河从北至南连通了大西洋和太平洋。巴拿马也由此成为了区域贸易、航运和金融中心，运河附近的科隆自贸区更是西半球最大的自贸区。伴随着巴拿马河而建的是巴拿马城，极具现代气息的高楼大厦与有着数百年历史的巴拿马古城交相辉映，而圣弗朗西斯科教堂、巴拿马国家剧院等著名建筑则坐落在美丽的巴拿马老城……巴拿马的文化风貌与城市魅力闪烁着缤纷耀眼的光芒。

远离主城区的巴拿马群岛也让人神往。距离巴拿马城50多公里的珍珠群岛，因盛产珍珠而得名。其中，孔塔多拉岛是其中最靠近大陆、最小又最美丽的岛屿——蓝天、碧水、白沙、绿荫，如同一座世外桃源。圣布拉斯群岛则位于巴拿马的北部海岸，由400多个岛屿组成，其中49座小岛居住着巴拿马库那族。阿尔瓦拉多总领事介绍说，“巴拿马民族刺绣工艺——‘莫拉’，就是出自库那族人民之手。他们亲手编织，运用独特的工艺与鲜艳的色彩，生动地展示了原著民对生活的积极态度。”“莫拉”通常采用“镂空缝”“三线缝”等技法，描绘库那族人的生活习俗，以其特有形式展现大自然景象及其民族文化精髓。2022年，“拼缝故事——巴拿马莫拉艺术重庆展”还走进了重庆，大大推动了两地民间人文交流。今年1月16日，阿尔瓦拉多总领事前往广东省人民政府外事办公室拜访时，也向广州赠送了“莫拉”，象征着中巴友谊如“莫拉”一般绚烂无比。

巴拿马库那族民族刺绣工艺——莫拉

据阿尔瓦拉多总领事介绍，巴拿马传统绣花裙——Pollera，也是本国传统文化中明媚张扬的一部分，淋漓尽致地展现了人民对生活的热爱。巴拿马议会早前即宣布将“巴拿马传统服饰及其手工制作技艺”列为巴拿马的非物质文化遗产，以保护与传统服饰有关的知识产权。

巴拿马传统绣花裙——Pollera

巴拿马拥有丰富多彩的文化，世界罕见的地理位置也赋予了她独一无二的文旅资源。“我们从太平洋来到大西洋，仅需80公里。”阿尔瓦拉多总领事自豪地说，“天气晴朗时，登上奇里基火山顶，你可以同时看到太平洋和大西洋。你还可以纵身一跃到两大洋里游泳。”“除了运河、高速公路、火车，我们还有一条从太平洋到大西洋的石油管道。所以巴拿马拥有四条运道。”他盛情邀请中国朋友到巴拿马旅游，“巴拿马虽国土面积不大，但风光秀丽、资源丰富，欢迎中国和世界各地人民共同探索巴拿马。”

中巴文化交流及民间友好往来早在19世纪便播下了种子。自170多年前首批华人到巴拿马修建铁路起，华人为促进巴拿马发展及中巴文化交流作出重要贡献。目前巴拿马约有30万华人，占全国人口总数的7%左右。每逢春节，当地民众与华侨华人一同欢庆新春，逛庙会、赏舞狮、送红包，节日气氛十分浓厚。同时，春节庆祝活动也被纳入巴拿马国际旅游推介计划。这一切都充分表明，中巴两国人民血脉相连，心心相印。“我们的关系紧密无间，巴拿马华人与他们在中国的亲戚挚友经常互相探访。”阿尔瓦拉多总领事说，“我认为这也是一种文化上相互来往的方式。”

他还表示，“中国对世界文明有着巨大的影响力”，中国人民充满活力、勤劳创业、立己达人；中国人民团结一致，不仅仅是为了个人，更是为了社会，为了国家。“这非常令人敬佩。”阿尔瓦拉多总领事说道，“从多年前，巴拿马就和中国打交道。巴中的双边关系不是单方面可以决定，而是双方携手并进、持续奋斗的成果，我们两国的友谊自始至终稳固而坚实。”

中巴合作：携手共进，挖掘新时代合作新机遇

2017年6月13日，中国与巴拿马正式建立外交关系。随后，中巴正式互设使馆；巴拿马在中国上海、广州、香港开设驻华领事馆。自此之后，中国和巴拿马在各领域合作进入了高速发展，两国不断深化互信，互联互通，为两国人民带来了实实在在的利益。2017年至2018年间，中巴两国元首互访，签署了多项双边合作文件，就推进两国关系达成广泛共识。

2017年6月13日，外交部长王毅与巴拿马副总统德圣马洛签署建交联合公报

习近平主席曾在巴拿马媒体发表题为《携手前进，共创未来》的署名文章，提到中巴要做平等互信的真诚伙伴、休戚与共的发展伙伴、互利共赢的合作伙伴、心贴着心的亲密伙伴，共同推动中巴关系扬帆远航。目前，中国保持巴拿马第二大贸易伙伴、科隆自由贸易区第一大供货国、巴拿马运河第二大用户地位。阿尔瓦拉多总领事表示，巴拿马欢迎各界人士来巴拿马投资与发展。未来期望双方继续携手共进，共创美好明天。“中巴在各领域紧密合作。巴拿马当下致力于增加对华的出口量。而中国投资者也可以多到巴拿马了解与拓宽合作范畴。巴中未来合作潜力巨大，巴拿马与北京、上海、广州和香港等中国城市长期保持密切合作，这持续推动了巴中在领先行业中的共商共营，两国各界齐心协力共同构建巴拿马与中国良好的双边关系。”

阿尔瓦拉多总领事指出，中国在多领域拥有先进技术及产业优势——尤其在绿色生态、绿色经济方面，中国在全球起着领头羊的作用，而巴拿马正需要学习借鉴以运用在本国农业领域。期待接下来，两国可共同交流林木管理、水资源、渔业等相关项目的经验，助力全球绿色发展。

他还提到，巴拿马拥有能够链接拉美及加勒比地区的空运中转地——托库门机场。这将大大便利巴拿马与中国以及其他国家旅游业的发展，促进全球互联互通。另外，巴拿马正积极推进“2030年国家物流战略”，拟打造世界级物流中心。总领事认为，巴拿马可充分利用独特的地理位置和发达的物流系统，吸引更多的中国投资者，并提升与中国的国际贸易体量。“我们必须全力以赴，牢牢把握住与中国合作的发展机遇。”

总领事馆陈列的托库门国际机场图

巴拿马不仅仅是整个拉丁美洲的进出口中心，也是重要的区域金融中心。阿尔瓦拉多总领事表示，期待两国根据国家发展的战略共同点，加深多领域的联结。中国与巴拿马的持续合作是民心所向，大势所趋。“在新的一年里，两国合作拥有无限可能性。”

蛇年之春，阿尔瓦拉多总领事通过瞭新社特向中国的人民传达祝福：“感谢大家诚挚欢迎我来到中国。我一直是你们的朋友。我们领事馆和巴拿马始终欢迎大家。在此，我代表巴拿马共和国和总统何塞·劳尔·穆利诺，祝福大家万事如意，身体健康、事业成功、平安幸福！”（瞭新社）

阿尔瓦拉多总领事为瞭新社题词

以下为英文报道：

Dialogue with the Consul General of Panama in Guangzhou, Alvarado: The future of Panama-China cooperation holds unlimited potential

Located on the isthmus of Central America, Panama shines as the “Pearl of Central America.” Its unique geographical location and vibrant culture place it firmly on the world. The Panama Canal, also referred to as the “Golden Waterway of the World” , is a marvel that draws the eyes of the globe. Panama City where history and modernity blend, further showcases the nation’s beauty. Beyond the city, the poetic San Blas Islands offer a glimpse into the region’s primitive allure. Together, these make Panama a truly remarkable destination.

In July 2017, China and Panama officially established diplomatic relations. Since then, high-level exchanges between the two countries have become more frequent, cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, culture, and education has been continuously expanded, and the bilateral relations have entered a period of rapid development. The friendship between China and Panama is as vibrant and full of vitality as the continuously flowing Panama Canal. Recently, Outlook New Era invited Roger Alvarado, Consul General of the Republic of Panama in Guangzhou, to have a dialogue. He shared his connection with China and the new directions of cooperation between China and Panama in the new year.

The bond with China: “I have witnessed the magnificent process of China’s rapid development”

“My first visit to China was due to business in 1997. Since then, I have had multiple deep connections with this land,” recalled Consul General Alvarado as he reflected on his ties with China.

Over the past two decades, he has frequently traveled between China and Panama, seeking business opportunities in cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Xiamen, and promoting economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. This also enabled him to witness the rapid rise of China. "Over the years, China has undergone tremendous changes. Everything is filled with hope, and the country is thriving," Consul General Alvarado remarked. "My frequent visits between two countries have given me the chance to witness the magnificent process of China’s rapid development."

This January, he arrived in Guangzhou in his new role as a diplomat. "From this year, I have taken on my role as Consul General of Panama in Guangzhou, and it's a fresh start," he said. At the very beginning of his diplomatic career, Consul General Alvarado has already visited several southern Chinese cities.

Recently, he attended the 2nd Central American Trade and Commerce Exchange Conference in Fujian Province. During his stay in Fujian, he also visited several local private enterprises, contributing to the future cooperation between the two countries. Consul General Alvarado told Outlook New Era that Panama has strong advantages in terms of experience and achievements in international trade development. "Therefore, I am very glad to have met many Chinese entrepreneurs and investors at the exchange conference. It will be a great benefit to the future cooperation between Central America and China."

Consul General Alvarado also led his team to visit the headquarters of Huawei in Shenzhen and its training center in Dongguan to gain an in-depth understanding of the innovative development of China's artificial intelligence algorithms. From artificial intelligence algorithms to driverless cars and multilingual libraries, Consul General Alvarado was filled with emotion after the visit. "When people talk about Huawei in China, many of them think of mobile phones or smartwatches. However, Huawei is also committed to sustainable development and assumes the corporate responsibility for the development and use of clean energy." He expressed his expectation that in the future, Panamanian enterprises will be able to carry out in-depth cooperation with Chinese high-tech enterprises, represented by Huawei, to achieve a win-win situation."

"I have been to Guangzhou several times before. Guangzhou impresses me as a beautiful, safe, and vibrant city," Consul General Alvarado said. "Guangzhou is diverse. For example, you can taste delicious cuisine from different countries here. In addition, my Chinese friends are very friendly and warm-hearted, which makes me fall in love with this land." Regarding his current appointment, "I am very happy. This is not only because of the profound friendship between Panama and China, but also because the Chinese people make me feel so close. I earnestly hope that in this beautiful city of Guangzhou, I can contribute to the future cooperation and bright prospects between Panama and China."

The culture of Panama: A shining pearl nurtured by the oceans

Panama is located on the isthmus of Central America. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean from north to south. As a result, Panama has become a regional trade, shipping, and financial center. The Colón Free Trade Zone near the canal is the largest free trade zone in the Western Hemisphere. Along with the Panama Canal is Panama City. The modern high-rise buildings and the ancient city of Panama with a history of several hundred years complement each other. Famous buildings such as the San Francisco Church and the National Theater of Panama are located in the beautiful old town of Panama... The cultural heritage and urban charm of Panama shine brightly.

The Panamanian Islands away from the main urban area are also alluring. The Pearl Islands, located more than 50 kilometers from Panama City, got their name because of the abundance of pearls produced there. Among them, Contadora Island is the closest to the mainland, the smallest, and the most beautiful one. With a blue sky, clear water, white sand, and green shade, it is like a paradise. The San Blas Islands are located on the northern coast of Panama and consist of more than 400 islands. Among them, 49 small islands are inhabited by the Kuna people of Panama. Consul General Alvarado introduced, “The Panamanian national embroidery craftsmanship - ‘Mola’- was created by the Kuna people. They weave it by hand, using unique techniques ans vivid colors to demonstrate the positive attitude of the indigenous people towards life.” “Mola” usually uses techniques such as “cutwork sewing” and “three-thread sewing” to depict the living customs of the Kuna people and showcase the essence of nature and their national culture in its unique form. In 2022, the "Hilos y Retazos Que Cuentan Historias—Exhibition of Panamanian Mola Art in Chongqing" was held in Chongqing, which greatly promoted the civil cultural exchanges between the two places. On January 16 this year, when Consul General Alvarado visited the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, he also presented a "Mola" to Guangzhou, symbolizing that the friendship between China and Panama is as splendid as the "Mola".

According to Consul General Alvarado, the traditional Panamanian embroidered dress, Pollera, is also a bright and flamboyant part of the country's traditional culture, vividly demonstrating the people's passion for life. The National Assembly of Panama had previously declared "Panamanian traditional clothing and its handicraft production techniques" as an intangible cultural heritage of Panama to protect the intellectual property rights related to traditional clothing.

Panama boasts a rich and colorful culture, and its rare geographical location in the world has endowed it with unique cultural and tourism resources. "We only need to travel 80 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean," Consul General Alvarado said proudly. "On a clear day, when you reach the top of the Volcano of Chiriquí, you can see both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean at the same time. You can even take a plunge and swim in these two great oceans." "In addition to the canal, highways, and trains, we also have an oil pipeline running from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. So Panama has four transportation routes." He warmly invited Chinese friends to visit Panama. "Although Panama is small, it has beautiful scenery and rich resources. People from China and all over the world are welcome to explore Panama together."   

The seeds of cultural exchanges and civil friendly exchanges between China and Panama were sown as early as the 19th century. Since the first batch of Chinese people arrived in Panama to build railways over 170 years ago, the Chinese community has made important contributions to the development of Panama and the cultural exchanges between China and Panama. Currently, there are about 300,000 Chinese people in Panama, accounting for approximately 7 percent of the country's total population. The Spring Festival is also widely celebrated here and the Spring Festival celebration activities have been incorporated into Panama's international tourism promotion plan. During the Spring Festival, both local people and overseas Chinese celebrate the Chinese New Year together, visiting temple fairs, watching lion dances, and sharing red envelopes, creating a very strong festive atmosphere. All these fully demonstrate that the people of China and Panama are closely linked by blood and share a deep emotional bond. "Our relationship is very close. Chinese people in Panama often visit their relatives and friends in China, and vice versa," Consul General Alvarado said. "I think this is also a way of cultural interaction."

He also stated that "China has a huge influence on world civilization." The Chinese people are full of vitality, diligent in doing businesses, and strive to achieve self-improvement while also helping others. The Chinese people are united not only for themselves but also for society and the country. "This is very admirable," Consul General Alvarado said. "Panama has been working with China for many years. The bilateral relationship between Panama and China cannot be determined unilaterally. It is the result of the joint efforts and continuous struggle of both sides. The friendship between our two countries has always been solid and firm."

China-Panama cooperation: Moving forward hand in hand and exploring new opportunities for cooperation in the new era

On June 13, 2017, China and Panama officially established diplomatic relations. Since then, two countries both officially established embassies; Panama opened consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong of China. Since then, cooperation between  China and Panama in various fields has entered a period of rapid development. The two countries have continuously deepened mutual trust and enhanced connectivity, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries. Between 2017 and 2018, the heads of state of China and Panama paid mutual visits and signed a number of bilateral cooperation documents, reaching broad consensus on promoting the relations between the two countries.

President Xi Jinping once published a signed article titled "Work Together for a Brighter Future" in Panama media, stating that China and Panama should be sincere partners with equality and mutual trust, development partners sharing weal and woe, cooperation partners achieving mutual benefit and win-win results, and close partners with hearts closely connected, jointly promoting the long- term development of China - Panama relations. Currently, China remains Panama's second - largest trading partner, the largest supplier to the Colón Free Trade Zone, and the second - largest user of the Panama Canal. Consul General Alvarado said that Panama welcomes people from all walks of life to invest and develop in Panama. He hopes that in the future, the two sides will continue to move forward hand in hand to create a better tomorrow. “Panama and China cooperate closely in various fields. Panama is currently committed to increasing its exports to China. And Chinese investors can also visit Panama more to understand and expand the scope of cooperation. There is huge potential for future cooperation between Panama and China . Panama has long - term close cooperation with Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, which continuously promotes the joint discussion and operation between Panama and China in leading industries. People from all sectors of the two countries work together to build a good bilateral relationship between Panama and China.”

Consul General Alvarado pointed out that China has advanced technologies and industrial advantages in many fields. Especially in the aspects of green ecology and green economy, China plays a leading role globally, and Panama needs to learn and draw on these experiences for application in its own agricultural sector. He looks forward to the two countries jointly exchanging experiences in related projects such as forest management, water resources, and fishery in the future, contributing to global green development.

He also mentioned that Panama has Tocumen Airport, an air transit hub that can connect Latin America and the Caribbean region. This will greatly facilitate the development of tourism between Panama and China as well as other countries, and promote global connectivity. In addition, Panama is actively promoting the "National Logistics Strategy 2030" and plans to build a world - class logistics center. The Consul General believes that Panama can make full use of its unique geographical location and developed logistics system to attract more Chinese investors and increase the volume of international trade with China. "We must go all out to firmly seize the development opportunities of cooperation with China."

Panama is not only an import and export center for the entire Latin America but also an important regional financial center. Consul General Alvarado expressed his expectation that the two countries will deepen their connections in multiple fields based on the common strategic points of their national development. The continuous cooperation between Panama and China represents the aspiration of the people and conforms to the general trend. "In the new year, there are infinite possibilities for cooperation between the two countries."

In the spring of the Year of the Snake, Consul General Alvarado conveyed his blessings to the Chinese people through Outlook New Era: "Thank you for welcoming me to China.You have a friend here and our consulate is open for you. Panama is open for you. In the name of the Republic of Panama and our President José Raúl Mulino, we wish you all the best, a lot of health, success and peace. All the best for the next year."

文：易春燕、陈欣妍

图：易春燕、巴拿马驻广州总领事馆、部分图源网络

英语翻校：易春燕、陶一苇