Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Panama will further accelerate the development of bilateral ties which has already got off to a strong start, Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, establishing diplomatic ties with China was "the right thing to do". The decision was lauded by Xi as "a feat of a hero".

The two sides are negotiating on a free trade agreement, and stepping up efforts to both grease the wheels for the flow of goods, and ease visa application process in a reciprocal way to promote tourism.

The driving force behind such a strong partnership is not only market demands, but also the common will for win-win development. Under such circumstances, Xi's historic visit to Panama is expected to further consolidate the political mutual trust between the two countries and inject fresh impetus into the bilateral relationship.

With such proactive efforts and goodwill gesture, the China-Panama friendship will set off on a new course and usher in an even brighter new chapter, Xinhua reported.