The president-elect is outraged by Chinese influence on this shipping route.
A new conflict in perspective, in a world that is not lacking in it. Eager to establish a new balance of power with China, Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to « regain control of the Panama Canal »through which 5% of global maritime traffic passes.
The president-elect of the United States was outraged on his Truth Social network about the excessively high passage fees that Panama charges the United States. « Our navy and our commerce are being treated particularly unfairly, he believes. This total scam will stop immediately. »
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More than Panama, it is the great Chinese rival, whose influence is growing in this country, that Donald Trump's diatribe targets. China is now the second largest trading partner of Panama, which severed relations with Taiwan in 2017. « Growing control of Chinese companies over the management of ports and free trade zones is a concern in the United States »even before the presidential election, underlines a recent report from Sciences Po.
“The canal is not controlled, directly or indirectly, by China, the European Community, the United States or any other power. As a Panamanian, I firmly reject any expression that distorts this reality.replied José Raúl Mulino, in a video on his X account, without explicitly mentioning Donald Trump.
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Restitution
Completed by the Americans in 1914, the Panama Canal was returned to the country in 1999. « But it was only up to Panama to manage it, not China or anyone else, believes Donald Trump. We would NEVER allow it to fall into the wrong hands ! »
We will then demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without discussion.
Donald Trump
And Donald Trump threatens: if Panama is not able to guarantee « safe, efficient and reliable operation » of this sea route, « we will then demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without discussion ».
Donald Trump has toughened his tone with China since his election. He did not wait until he had officially succeeded Joe Biden to announce a 10% increase in customs taxes on « all the many products arriving from China to the United States ».
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