The United States and China engaged in a heated dispute concerning the Panama Canal during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Monday.
The U.S. expressed concerns that China’s influence over the vital waterway could pose risks to global trade and security, while China rebutted the allegations as a fabricated pretext for U.S. ambitions to control the canal.
Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, presiding over the council this month, affirmed the country’s ownership and commitment to the neutrality of the canal, which serves as a critical link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
At the meeting, Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza highlighted various maritime security challenges, including piracy and cybercrime, warning of vulnerabilities in ports that could be exacerbated by limited cybersecurity measures.
Before his election, President Donald Trump had already drawn attention to the canal, suggesting the U.S. should consider reclaiming control and accusing Panama of relinquishing influence to China.
The canal was constructed by the U.S. in the early 1900s, serving strategic military and commercial purposes, and was handed over to Panama in 1999 under a treaty negotiated by President Jimmy Carter.
China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong defended his country’s position, asserting that Panama has effectively managed the canal and contributed significantly to global trade.
He emphasized China’s respect for Panama’s sovereignty and commitment to maintaining the canal’s neutrality for continued operational efficiency.
Following Fu’s remarks, Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea voiced her concerns about what she described as China’s excessive influence in the Panama Canal area.
She accused China of endangering maritime security with its aggressive actions, referencing its claims in the South China Sea, and reiterated the U.S. stance of supporting nations opposing these claims.
Shea underscored that China’s influence in the Panama Canal region could potentially undermine not just Panama and the United States, but global trade and security as a whole.
The Trump administration has been pressuring China to require the Hong Kong-based operator of the ports at either end of the canal to divest its interests to a U.S. consortium which includes BlackRock Inc.
Despite the U.S. overtures, Panama remains firmly opposed to any takeover of the canal.
Moreover, in April, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with President Mulino to enhance security cooperation, culminating in an agreement granting U.S. military access to strategic air and naval facilities in Panama—a move that has sparked significant protests in the capital.
In response to Shea’s critical remarks, Fu sought the floor to counter the U.S. accusations directly.
He condemned what he termed “fabricated lies” and “groundless attacks” from the United States as a guise for attempting to seize control of the canal.
Fu described the U.S. military presence and actions in the South China Sea as the primary disruptor of peace and stability in the region and warned that such provocations heighten risks to global maritime security.
He called for an end to U.S. economic coercion and urged the country to cease what he described as the spreading of rumors and creating discord in international relations.
image source from：npr
