China slams US attempts to undermine Panama ties, urges resistance
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China condemned US interference in its relations with Panama after Panama withdrew from the Belt and Road Initiative, urging it to resist external pressures.
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China's Commerce Ministry Foreign Trade Director General, Li Xingqian, third from right, meets with the Panamanian business community in Panama City, on Monday, August 26, 2024 (AP)
China has strongly condemned US attempts to disrupt its relations with Panama through pressure and threats, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan stated during a meeting with Panamanian Ambassador to China Miguel Lecaro.
"China-Panama relations never target any third party and should not be disrupted by any third party," Zhao said on Saturday. He urged Panama to resist external interference and consider the long-term interests of both nations.
The statement follows Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino’s announcement on Thursday that Panama had formally withdrawn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Mulino denied any link between the decision and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent visit to the country.
In response, China lodged a formal protest with Panama, with Zhao condemning what he described as US efforts to "sabotage Belt and Road cooperation through pressure and threats."
US President Donald Trump, in his inauguration speech on January 20, expressed his desire for the US to regain control of the Panama Canal, claiming it was being operated by China and accusing Panama of overcharging US ships, including naval vessels. The Panamanian president dismissed Trump's remarks.
US applauds Panama's decision amid Canal tensions
Washington has long opposed the BRI, claiming that China uses the initiative to expand geopolitical influence through the so-called "debt trap diplomacy." The US Secretary of State's recent visit to Panaa came as the Trump administration openly warned that Beijing's growing economic footprint in the Panama Canal could be a national security threat.
Rubio pressed Mulino on Chinese influence in the canal, noting that Trump does not want to maintain the status quo regarding the waterway.
While Panama has insisted that it retains full sovereignty over the canal, Washington has accused Beijing of using its economic ties to influence operations.
