Chinese Community Monument in Panama Removed Amid US–CCP Tensions

The monument was built in 2004 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese people in Panama.

A cargo ship waits at Balboa Port before crossing the Panama Canal in Panama City on Feb. 4, 2025. Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images

A monument to commemorate the local Chinese community’s contributions to Panama in the 19th century was removed on Dec. 27, 2025.

Local Panama authorities ordered the removal of the monument, which the Arraiján mayor’s office said had structural damage that posed a “safety risk.”