Hegseth solves heated reaction from Beijing to Panama Canal Commentary

Hegseth solves heated reaction from Beijing to Panama Canal Commentary

In Panama City, the US Defense Minister pete hegseth on Tuesday that the Panama-Canal is still subject to threats by China. However, he expressed that the United States and Panama will ensure that the channel remains safe.

reactions from China

The comments by Hegseth produced a heated answer from the Chinese government, which stated: "Who represents the real threat to the channel? People will make their own judgment."

US campaigns to secure the Panama Canal

During the inauguration of a new dock built with US financing in the Naval Base Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, after meeting with the Panamaian President José Raúl Mulino, Hegseth emphasized that the United States will not tolerate threats from China or other countries. "In the past few weeks, the United States and Panama have done more to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than in the past decades," he added.

control of the infrastructure

Hegseth referred to the ports at both ends of the channel, which are controlled by a Hong Kong consortium, which is currently selling its shares in another consortium, including Blackrock Inc. "Companies operating from China continue to control critical infrastructures in the sewer area," said Hegseth. "This gives China the opportunity to carry out surveillance activities in very Panama, which makes both Panama and the United States less secure, less wealthy and less confident."

joint explanation of Hegseth and Mulino

After two hours of talks with Mulino there was a joint explanation. A vague formulated part of the explanation indicated that the two had spoken about the rarely paid fees for the passage through the channel. It was stated that "the Republic of Panama and the United States of America, as agreed, will work on a mechanism to compensate for the payment of fees and taxes."

raise tensions

After the meeting, the Chinese embassy in Panama scourged the American government in a statement in which it noticed that the United States used "blackmail" to enforce its own interests. They also found that it was Panama's sovereign decision with whom the country does business with and that the United States had no right to interfere. "The United States launched a sensational campaign over the 'theoretical Chinese threat' to sabotage Chinese-Panamesian cooperation, all of which is based on the geopolitical interests of the United States," continued the message.

negotiations and agreements

After Hegseth and Mulino had phoneed in February, the US State Department said that it was agreed not to burden US warships for passing through the channel. However, Mulino publicly denied that such an agreement exist. Trump even considered that the United States might never have handed over the channel to Panama and that it should take it back.

audits and irregular lease contracts

The concern about China was triggered by the Hong Kong Consortium, which holds a 25-year lease for the ports at both ends of the channel. The Panamaic government announced that this lease is currently being checked and was pointed out on Monday evening that there are irregularities. However, the Hong Kong Consortium has already announced that ck hutchison his Control shares is handed over to the ports to a consortium in which Blackrock Inc. is contained, which will ultimately put the ports under American control as soon as the sale is completed.

The neutrality of the channel

US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio that Trump believes that China's presence in the canal area could violate a contract that led to the submission of the channel to Panama in 1999. This contract provides for the permanent neutrality of the American channel. Mulino denied that China has any influence on the channel surgery and in February expressed his resentment about the ongoing narrative: "We will not speak about what does not correspond to reality, but on the topics that are of interest to both countries."

The story of the Panama Canal

The United States built the channel in the early 1900s to facilitate the transit of commercial and military ships between their coasts. Washington submitted control of the waterway on December 31, 1999 as part of a contract signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. "I would like to make it clear: China didn't build this channel," said Hegseth on Tuesday. "China does not operate this channel, and China will not use this channel as a weapon. Together with Panama at the top, we will keep the channel safe and accessible to all nations - due to the deterrent of the strongest, most effective and fatal forces in the world."