Panama orders work on $1.24 billion bridge

In the wake of the visit of the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Panama's government has given the go-ahead for construction next year of the $1.42 billion Fourth Bridge over the Canal.

The bridge is to be built by a Chinese consortium of CCCC and China Harbor.

Panama's president, Juan Carlos Varela, emphasized the symbolic importance of the bridge as a shining example of the development of relations with China, and the positioning of Panama as its port of entry to Latin America.