Trump rejects any Chinese control of strategic Panama Canal

Washington would not allow the Panama Canal to fall under Chinese control, US President Donald Trump stated, reiterating concerns about Beijing’s influence over the strategic waterway.

“And now China is trying to take over the Panama Canal, and we're not going to let that happen,” Trump said during a speech in the state of North Dakota.

The president criticised the decision to transfer control of the waterway to Panama.

“So we gave it away. The first thing they did, you know what they did? They raised the prices for the ships by four times, and they didn't lose one ship. And then they raised it again twice, and they didn't lose one ship. All they did was make tremendous amounts of money for years and years. How stupid was that?” Trump said. 

“It was the most expensive thing we ever built, and it was also the most profitable thing we ever built. That's a nice combination,” he added, referring to the Panama Canal.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his intention to restore American control over the strategic waterway. He has described China’s commercial presence around the canal as a threat to US security and trade interests.

The canal, which opened in 1914, was built and operated by the United States for decades. The 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties established a phased transfer of control to Panama, a process completed in 1999. The agreement also guaranteed the canal’s neutrality and continued accessibility for global commerce.

By Jeyhun Aghazada