The 'two Chinas' and Panama: an historical review of Panamanian relations with the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan, 1903–2017

This paper offers a historical overview of Panama’s ties with the “two Chinas”, focusing initially on Asian migration to the Isthmus of Panama before the territory became part of New Granada (Colombia). This migration was the result of Chinese labourers being recruited to work for the Panama railway construction company from 1850-1855 and, a few decades later, for construction of the French Canal and the Panama Canal. This will be followed by an examination of the Republic of China (ROC or Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) respective policies towards Panama. In addition, this paper analyses the new social, political, and economic scenarios resulting from Panama’s decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in June 2017. Panama’s engagement with China, particularly its links with China’s signature Belt and Road Initiative presents opportunities and challenges for the Central American country as it balances these with its national priorities

Implications of the agreements between China and Panama

Studying the implications of the bilateral agreements between the Republic of Panama and the People’s Republic of China of 2017 allows us to understand the economic and political effects of Chinese diplomacy on international cooperation, economic development, and soft power under the principles of trust and mutual benefit. The objective is to theorise the possible risks of the various aspects of these agreements; expand or modify their terms, ideally, if desirable; promote all sectors’ participation; and collect scientific evidence to make the agreements easier for decision-makers to evaluate. Maintaining complex, interdependent relationships with different spheres of power requires prioritising national interests and adapting them to the new global reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, which requires adjusting agreements on grounds other than the Belt and Road’s specific objectives

The diplomatic context between China and Panama and their agreements

n 2017, Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela established official ties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), deepening such diplomacy without disclosing why, exactly, his government had broken its long-standing relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in favor of those with the PRC, what commitments his government had made to the PRC, and how he planned to handle the PRC’s strategic interests. China’s objectives, however, are clear. Beijing knows the strategic value of relations with Panama, particularly through its multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Panamanian side, meanwhile, negotiated hastily in a process without consultation, leaving their country in a lurch. Accordingly, Panamanian now need to do the work—to evaluate Panama-PRC agreements, involve all relevant sectors, and move forward according to the country’s best interests. This study analyzes Chinese diplomacy with a focus on Latin America, as well as the content of the PRC’s 47 agreements with Panama, ultimately offering a path forward for Panama

Los Derechos de las personas LGBTIQ+, agenda de género y las políticas de igualdad.

In Central America, human rights instruments, public policies and plans for gender equality have been approved, but discrimination and women’s demand for respect for their human rights persist, feminist social movements and LGBTIQ + people are added, who They are excluded from these policies. The study, through the analysis of the international regulatory frameworks, the commitments acquired by the States, and the equality policies of the region, seeks the objective of identifying their rights, the challenges in their recognition, the policies of equality and the inclusion of the human rights of the LGBTIQ + population, which shows that states are not responding to the demands of the gender agenda.En Centroamérica se han aprobado instrumentos de derechos humanos, políticas públicas y planes para la igualdad de género, pero persiste la discriminación y a la demanda de las mujeres por el respeto de sus derechos humanos, se suman los movimientos sociales feministas y las personas LGBTIQ+, que son excluidos de estas políticas. El estudio a través del análisis de los marcos normativos internacionales, los compromisos adquiridos por los Estados, y las políticas de igualdad de la región, busca el objetivo de identificar sus derechos, los retos en su reconocimiento, las políticas de igualdad y la inclusión de los derechos humanos de la población LGBTIQ+, que evidencia que los Estados no están dando respuestas a las demandas de la agenda de género

Autoestima, motivación y resiliencia en escuelas panameñas con puntajes diferenciados en la Prueba TERCE

Education in recent decades has moved from a traditional context to a context reflective of individual competence, in order to create healthy and inclusive schools that develop professional-social-personal skills. However, it has focused on quantitative aspects, leaving aside other factors that can influence performance, such as motivation, self-esteem, and resilience. The main objective of this study is to analyze the factors involved in academic performance, such as self-esteem, motivation and school resilience in the results obtained in the TERCE test. The sample consists of 568 students aged 10-12 years and 11 teachers from (8) schools of the Republic of Panama chosen from the arithmetic mean (best performance = 5; low performance = 3, in TERCE). The School Self-Esteem Test, the Questionnaire to Assess School Motivation, School Resilience Scale and Test Expectations and Motivational Attitudes of Teachers Test have been used. This study has found that the self-esteem variable correlates with gender, academic performance and school type (P <0.05); it is also affected by the geographical location of students, which also the case for the motivation variable (P <0.05). Children from hard-to-reach schools have an average level of resilience associated with positive levels in the identity-self-esteem dimension. In addition, teachers perceive that school performance is influenced by external factors, giving more importance to grades. In order to learn, cognitive skills, knowledge and strategies are important, which require intention and motivation to be gained.La educación en las últimas décadas se ha trasformado de un contexto tradicional a uno por competencia, para crear escuelas saludables e inclusivas con el fin de desarrollar las habilidades profesionales-sociales-personales. Sin embargo, se ha centrado en el contexto cuantitativo, dejando de un lado otros factores que pueden incidir en el rendimiento, como la motivación, autoestima, y resiliencia. El objetivo central fue analizar los factores que intervienen en el rendimiento académico como: la autoestima, motivación y resiliencia escolar en los resultados obtenidos en la prueba TERCE. La muestra fueron 568 alumnos de 10-12 años y 11 docentes de (8) escuelas de la República de Panamá escogidas a partir de la media aritmética (mejor rendimiento=5; bajo rendimiento=3, en el TERCE). Se utilizó el Test de Autoestima escolar, Cuestionario para Valorar la motivación escolar, Escala de Resiliencia Escolar y Test Expectativas y actitudes motivacionales del profesorado. En este estudio se encontró que la variable Autoestima se correlaciona con el factor género, rendimiento académico, tipo de escuela (P<0.05), sin embargo, es afectada por la ubicación geográfica de donde viven los estudiantes, fenómeno que se repite en la motivación (P<0.05). Los niños de las escuelas de difícil acceso presentan un nivel de Resiliencia (Media) asociado a niveles positivos en la dimensión identidad-autoestima. Además, los docentes tienen la percepción que el rendimiento escolar está influenciado por factores externos, dando mayor importancia a las calificaciones. Para aprender son importantes las capacidades, conocimientos y estrategias cognitivas, requiriendo de la intención y motivación suficiente para lograrlo

Coupled THCM model of a heating and hydration concrete-bentonite column test

Versión aceptada de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.05.007[Abstract:] Radioactive waste disposal in deep geological repositories in clay formations envisage a compacted bentonite engineered barrier and a concrete liner. The alkaline conditions caused by the degradation of concrete could affect the performance of the engineered barrier. The geochemical interactions occurring at the concrete-bentonite interface (B-CI) for the non-isothermal unsaturated conditions prevailing at repository post-closure have been studied by CIEMAT with a heating and hydration concrete-bentonite column test. The column consists of a 3 cm thick concrete sample emplaced on top of a 7.15 cm block of compacted bentonite. The column was hydrated through the concrete at a constant pressure with a synthetic clay porewater while the bottom of the column was heated at 100 °C. Here we report a coupled thermo-hydro-chemical-mechanical (THCM) model of the column test, which lasted 1610 days. The model was solved with a THCM code, INVERSE-FADES-CORE. Experimental observations show calcite and brucite precipitation in the concrete near the hydration boundary, portlandite dissolution and calcite and ettringite precipitation in the concrete, calcite and sepiolite precipitation in the bentonite near the B-CI, calcite dissolution in the bentonite far from the B-CI and gypsum precipitation in the bentonite near the heater. Model results attest that advection is relevant during the first months of the test. Later, solute diffusion becomes the dominant transport mechanism. Calcite and brucite precipitate in the concrete near the hydration boundary because the concentrations of dissolved bicarbonate and magnesium in the hydration water are larger than the initial concentrations in the concrete porewater. Calcite and brucite precipitate in both sides of the B-CI. Sepiolite precipitates in the bentonite near the B-CI. The model predicts portlandite and C1.8SH dissolution in the concrete. Ettringite and C0.8SH precipitate near the hydration boundary while ettringite dissolves in the rest of the concrete at very small rates. The porosity changes occur at the hydration boundary and at both sides of the B-CI due to mineral dissolution/precipitation. The porosity reduces to zero in a 0.03 cm thick zone in the concrete near the B-CI due to brucite and calcite precipitation. The high pH front (pH > 8.5) diffuses from the concrete into the bentonite and penetrates 1 cm at the end of the test after 1610 days. Model results are sensitive to grid size. Mineral precipitation and the thickness of the zone affected by mineral precipitation in the bentonite near the B-CI increase when the grid size increases while pore clogging in the concrete near the B-CI is computed only for grid sizes smaller than 0.018 cm. The non-isothermal conditions play an important role in mineral precipitation. The reduction in porosity in the B-CI for constant temperature is smaller than that of the non-isothermal run. The model reproduces the on-line measured temperature and relative humidity data as well as the water content and porosity data collected at the end of the test. Model results capture the main trends of the mineralogical observations, except for ettringite and CSH phases for which the predicted precipitation is smaller than the observed values. Model results improve when the specific surface of ettringite is increased by a factor of 10.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's European Atomic Energy Community's (Euratom) Horizon 2020 Programme (NFRP-2014/2015) under grant agreement, 662147 – CEBAMA. This work was partly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Grant number CGL2016-78281) with support from the FEDER funds and the Galician Regional Government (Grant number ED431C 2017/67 from “Consolidación e estruturación de unidades de investigación competitivas”, Grupos de referencia competitiva). The second author enjoyed a research contract from University of A Coruña. We thank the comments, corrections and suggestions of the Guest Editor and the two anonymous reviewers who contributed to the improvement of the paper.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2017/6

Nuevas relaciones diplomáticas entre Panamá y China: implicaciones geopolíticas y socioeconómicas

La dinámica cambiante de las relaciones de Panamá con la República Popular China ha cautivado la atención del mundo desde el 13 de junio de 2017, cuando el presidente Juan Carlos Varela anunció un cambio de reconocimiento diplomático a Beijing. El revuelo que causó en los titulares de todo el mundo provocó una respuesta apresurada por parte de Estados Unidos, tomada con la guardia baja, centrada en las fulminaciones admonitorias del Secretario de Estado estadounidense, Mike Pompeo, de que el enredo financiero con China corría el riesgo de hundir a Panamá en una trampa de deuda. La subsiguiente prisa de Panamá por negociar un Tratado de Libre Comercio con China, junto con el compromiso de Beijing de construir un ferrocarril de alta velocidad en todo el país y otros proyectos de infraestructura, demostró ser el punto culminante de la cooperación bajo Varela. Las nuevas elecciones de mayo de 2019 trajeron un nuevo liderazgo bajo el presidente Laurentino Cortizo Cohen y, con eso, una reconsideración del abrazo total de Panamá a China. Con el inicio de la guerra comercial entre Estados Unidos y China y las conversaciones sobre una “nueva Guerra Fría", lo que está en juego para Panamá ha aumentado de manera constante. Esta publicación ha sido realizada con el apoyo financiero de la Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENACYT), Proyecto: SENACYT-FID-18-034- Nuevas relaciones diplomáticas entre Panamá y China: implicaciones geopolíticas y socioeconómicas. Ejecutado por la Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua (USMA) en colaboración con The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE-IDEAS) y (LSE-Global South-Unit). Las opiniones y contenidos de esta publicación son de exclusiva responsabilidad de los autores, y no reflejan necesariamente la opinión de las entidades y organizaciones del Proyecto. Reservados todos los derechos. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial de esta obra por cualquier medio, sin autorización escrita

Reactive transport models of the geochemical interactions at the iron/bentonite interface in laboratory corrosion tests

Carbon steel and compacted bentonite have been proposed as candidate materials for the overpack and buffer, respectively, of the multi-barrier system of a geological high-level radioactive waste repository. Carbon steel corrosion may impair bentonite properties. The interactions of corrosion products and bentonite are analyzed with laboratory corrosion tests. Here coupled thermo-hydro-chemical-mechanical (THCM) models of two types of heating and hydration tests performed on compacted bentonite in contact with Fe powder are presented to study the iron-bentonite interactions at representative repository conditions. Tests on small cells (SC) were performed under unsaturated non-isothermal conditions in 25 mm long columns containing 21 mm of bentonite and 4 mm of Fe powder. Tests on medium-size cells (FB) were performed under unsaturated non-isothermal conditions in 99.8 mm long columns containing 86.8 mm of bentonite and 13 mm of Fe powder. Model results for the SC tests showed that magnetite and Fe(OH)2(s) were the main corrosion products which compete for Fe2+ precipitation. Computed corrosion products precipitate mainly in the Fe powder, penetrate a few mm into the bentonite and reproduce the measured iron weight data. Model results of the FB tests showed that magnetite precipitates throughout the Fe powder interface and reproduce the main trends of the corrosion products. Model results of these corrosion tests will be of great relevance for the performance assessment of engineered barriers of radioactive waste repositoriesThe research leading to these results was funded by ENRESA within the Work Package ACED of EURAD (European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management of the European Union, grant agreement nº 847593), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019-109544RB-I00) and the Galician Regional Government (Grant ED431C2021/54). The comments and corrections of the special editor and the two anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciate

Gist sincrónico con adenomioma gástrico: Reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura

Background: The collision of two tumors of different cell lines in the same organ is infrequent; even though, the associations described in the literature, the finding of synchronous GIST with adenomyoma draws even more attention due to its different cellular origins. Case report: We present the case of a 57-year-old female patient who underwent double wedge resection surgery and various examinations, including pathology. Conclusion: The presence of synchronous tumors, gastric GIST and gastric adenomyoma is demonstrated, despite the infrequency of this finding.Introducción: La colisión de dos tumores de diferente estirpe celular en un mismo órgano es infrecuente; a pesar de las asociaciones descritas en la literatura, el hallazgo de GIST con adenomioma en sincronismo, llama aún más la atención debido a sus distintos orígenes celulares. Reporte de caso: Presentamos el caso de una paciente mujer de 57 años de edad, quien es sometida a cirugía de resección doble en cuña, y distintos exámenes incluido el anátomo-patológico. Conclusión: Se demuestra la presencia de tumores sincrónicos, GIST gástrico y adenomioma gástrico, a pesar de la infrecuencia de este hallazgo