US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Panama’s president to take “immediate” action to address concerns over Chinese influence and control at the Panama Canal. The comments come as part of a tense confrontation between the Trump administration and Panama, with President Donald Trump saying that the US will “take it back” if China exercises control over the waterway.
Rubio’s visit to Panama was his first as secretary of state, and he met with President José Raúl Mulino on Sunday. The State Department said Rubio told Mulino that Trump had made a preliminary determination that China’s government exercised control over the canal, citing a treaty meant to ensure its neutrality.
However, Mulino disputed this claim, saying that there was no risk of the US intervening and that he saw little threat from Chinese influence at the canal. Mulino also suggested that Panama would decide what steps to take after an audit of a Hong Kong-based company’s operations at the canal.
The Trump administration has been critical of China’s involvement in the canal, citing national security concerns. However, experts are skeptical of these claims, and many see them as a thinly veiled attempt to undermine China’s growing influence in the region.
Rubio’s visit also touched on broader US-Panama relations, with both leaders discussing ways to strengthen cooperation on issues like migration and security. The two countries have had a complicated history, but Mulino said that he hoped the current visit would mark a new era in relations.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/world/americas/marco-rubio-panama.html