China is willing to enhance communication with Panama in various sectors, including education, culture and people-to-people exchanges and expand areas of cooperation with the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday.

Lu was addressing a daily news briefing when questioned about Panamanian students studying in Taiwan who may face difficulty completing their studies under scholarships offered by Taiwan, as Panama announced it was cutting diplomatic ties with Taiwan on Tuesday.

China, he said, welcomes students from Panama to study on the Chinese mainland, adding that China will increase the number scholarships to students from Panama every year.

He also said that for those Panamanian students currently studying in Taiwan, China is ready to offer timely assistance to students in need.