The Chinese government assured that it has never intervened in the management of the Panama Canal and has always respected Panama's sovereignty over this infrastructure, in response to recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump. The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, stated at a press conference that both the sovereignty and independence of Panama are non-negotiable principles. Mao emphasized that the canal is not under the direct or indirect control of any major power and that China has not participated in its administration or interfered in its affairs.
"China has always recognized the canal as a permanently neutral waterway for international traffic," the spokesperson noted. Additionally, Mao pointed out that China supports the statements of the President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, regarding the canal being, and remaining, the property of Panama, reiterating the permanent neutrality of the infrastructure and its Panamanian control.
On the other hand, President Trump had stated in his inaugural address that China was operating the Panama Canal and expressed his intention to "take it back." He also mentioned alleged imbalances in toll rates for U.S. ships in the waterway, statements that have been denied by the Panamanian government since last December. The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, for her part, expressed her government's support for the people of Panama and their leader Mulino in the face of Trump's threats, reaffirming the importance of maintaining respect for Panama's sovereignty.
The Panama Canal, an important waterway of 82 kilometers through which about 3% of global trade passes, was built by the United States and transferred to Panama on December 31, 1999. This transfer was carried out thanks to the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, signed in 1977 in Washington by Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos and U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
