Rubio Warns Necessary Measures on Panama Canal Over Chinese Influence

The only time the canal was blocked in history was not by a foreign adversary, but by the US itself."

Xu went on to address the canal again, saying

Panama is so important to the US that it cannot tolerate Panama cooperating with China. The US established diplomatic relations with China in 1979, so why does Panama's decision to do the same 38 years later make the US furious? The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Panama was transparent, free of backroom deals or financial incentives. The US-China trade volume is as high as $688.28 billion, and more than 70,000 US businesses have investments in China. Why does the US view Chinese enterprises operating in Panama as a threat?"

She said

That provides more legal framework for Panama to wiggle out of the concessions and for Panama to reopen them such that an American company or a European company might come in and win the bid,

Berg said

Marco Rubiosecretary of State

We don’t want to have a hostile or negative relationship with Panama,

Rubio said

Nayib Bukelepresident

Cutting this so-called aid isn't just beneficial for the United States; it's also a big win for the rest of the world,

Bukele wrote

Marco Rubiosecretary of State

Yesterday's announcement by President @JoseRaulMulino that Panama will allow its participation in the CCP's Belt and Road Initiative to expire is a great step forward for U.S.-Panama relations, a free Panama Canal, and another example of @POTUS leadership to protect our national security and deliver prosperity for the American people,

Rubio posted on X after departing the country

Fu Congthe UN ambassador

The smear campaign that is launched by the U.S. and some of the other Western countries on the Belt and Road Initiative is totally groundless,

Fu told a news conference in New York

During their visit to Panama, the U.S. delegation never forgets China. We have some photos to share with Panamanian and American friends who love peace and development,

the diplomatic mission wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Marco Rubiosecretary of State

I met with Panamanian President Mulino and Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez to make clear that the United States cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area. We also discussed efforts to end the hemisphere's mass migration crisis and ensure fair competition for U.S. firms. The Panama Canal is vital to America's national and economic security interests. We must remain vigilant in protecting this vital asset from the Chinese Communist Party."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X

I don't feel that there is any real threat at this time against the treaty, its validity, or much less of the use of military force to seize the canal,

Mulino told reporters

Sovereignty over the canal is not in question,

he said, proposing technical-level talks with Washington to clear up concerns

It was not given to China, it was given to Panama foolishly,

he told reporters as he returned to Washington from a weekend in Florida

We could not cross into the canal zone without being arrested if we didn't follow all the American rules. The minute you stepped across that border, you were in the United States,

Mari said

What you see here — that the United States and Donald Trump want to take back the canal — that's what we call cause and effect,

says Andre Howell, a hotel worker in the historic centre of Panama City

I was the political leader of the opposition when Noriega said he was going to kill all the leaders of the opposition if the US were to invade,

recalled former Panama congressman Edwin Cabrera, speaking to the BBC by the locks of the canal's Pacific entrance

There's a treaty that he has to respect, and there's nothing in the treaty that says that we cannot have ports run by the Chinese,

she told the BBC, pointing out

I heard the bombs and started seeing people dying... The only thing President Trump and Rubio have left to say is that they will invade us,

he told the BBC

They're not administrating the Panama Canal the right way... No Panamanians have [the] benefits,

he said

I cannot negotiate or even open a negotiation process about the canal. It's sealed, the canal belongs to Panama,

he said

The United States, I mean, think of this, spent more money than ever spent on a project before and lost 38 lives in the building of the Panama Canal. We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should never been made, and Panama's promise to us has been broken."

After being sworn in as the 47th US President at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, he said