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During a United Nations Security Council meeting convened by Panama to discuss maritime security, tensions erupted between the United States and China over influence in the Panama Canal.
Acting US Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, voiced Washington’s concerns over what it sees as China’s increasing control over key port infrastructure surrounding the canal, warning that such influence could pose risks to global trade and maritime security.
China’s Ambassador to the UN, Fu Cong, categorically rejected the accusations, calling them a pretext for the US to assert greater control over the canal. He affirmed Beijing’s respect for Panama’s sovereignty and the neutrality of the interoceanic waterway, and accused Washington of “hegemonic bullying” in the region.
Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, who presided over the session, emphasized that the country retains full control over the canal and reaffirmed its status as a neutral maritime route open to global commerce.
The clash comes amid broader geopolitical tensions. In recent months, Panama withdrew from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, launched audits into port contracts held by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, and advanced defense cooperation with the US, moves that have strained ties with Beijing.
The dispute also revives echoes of statements by former US President Donald Trump, who suggested the US should “take back” control of the canal and accused Panama of yielding to Chinese influence, comments that sparked protests and strong criticism from the Panamanian government.
* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.
Main Source:
China y EEUU chocan en la ONU por el Canal de Panamá – Independent Español
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