Panama president says he won’t renew Belt and Road deal with China, as US demands less Chinese influence over canal
Posted by govols130
Panama president says he won’t renew Belt and Road deal with China, as US demands less Chinese influence over canal
Posted by govols130
8 Comments
time to panic buy aliexpress junk
I hate how Trump bullying the allies works and he doesn’t bullies Russia and the Houtis because they would laugh at him.
Do not ask what the actual impact of this is
“The company in question is the [Panama Ports Company](https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/31/americas/panama-canal-china-rubio-explainer-intl-latam/index.html), part of a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings. Hutchinson Ports is one of the world’s largest port operators, overseeing 53 ports in 24 countries, including for other US allies such as the UK, Australia and Canada.
As CNN has previously reported, [Hutchison does not control access to the Panama Canal](https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/31/americas/panama-canal-china-rubio-explainer-intl-latam/index.html). Workers at their two ports only load and unload containers onto ships and supply them with fuel. Three other ports in the vicinity of the canal are operated by competing companies providing similar services.”
Panama: I consent
China: I consent
US: I don’t!
Can you imagine the catagory 11 thermonuclear meltdown if something happened in reverse?
Trump’s bullying style actually works in many scenarios, it just also doesn’t work in a lot of others and he seems to have no clue when.
Objectively this is a good thing. I just don’t like the methods that Trump used. Panama today also agreed to boost cooperation with us to fight violent gangs & cartels and further review China’s presence in Panama, especially on the ports. This is a good thing. Now hopefully Trump can move the fuck on but we’ll see. That being said, Panama is the 1st nation to leave the Belt & Road Initiative. Glad that’s the case. Hope more nations leave. Trump should know that bullying won’t always work.
America’s foreign policy from 1896-2000 was “speak softly but carry a big stick.”
Since 2000, Democrats’ fopo has been “speak softly and give up if that doesn’t work.” And republicans’ has been “I like big stick hurr durr”
>Rubio told Panama’s president and Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha that concerns over China’s “control” of the Panama Canal may mean the US has to “take measures necessary to protect its rights” per a longstanding treaty on the neutrality and operation of the canal.
>Under the 1977 treaty, the US returned the canal to Panama’s control with the understanding that the waterway remain neutral. According to the agreement, the US could intervene militarily if the canal’s operations were disrupted by internal conflict or a foreign power. Today, more cargo than ever runs through the canal than it did during the years of US control.
Cool, so Putin style diplomacy. “Don’t make us invade you”