Panama's President José Raúl Mulino addressed the situation of Panamanian-flagged vessels being inspected in Chinese ports during a press conference. He described the issue as delicate and technical, urging caution in handling it. The head of state confirmed that the Panamanian government has expressed its concern to Chinese diplomatic authorities amid reports of detentions and inspections of vessels registered under the national flag. "This is an issue we are looking at with great care because it is an extremely technical matter," stated Mulino, while avoiding announcing concrete actions, noting that "plans are not announced, they are executed." The president made it clear that Panama has no interest in escalating a conflict with China, but warned that it will not allow such situations to drag on indefinitely. Mulino also emphasized that the impact of these actions is not limited to Panama but involves global trade, considering that a significant portion of the cargo on these ships comes from the Chinese market and is destined for various parts of the world. In this regard, he expressed his expectation that the situation could diminish in intensity and return to normality both operationally and in the political-diplomatic sphere. The head of the executive also explained that the Panamanian government is gathering more precise information about the scope of these inspections, including figures and technical justifications, a task that falls to the Panama Maritime Authority and the Merchant Marine team, whose director participates in international meetings related to maritime security. Mulino noted that these inspections could be in response to maritime security criteria and international standards, so he insisted on the need to evaluate the phenomenon based on concrete data and comparisons with other naval registries. Finally, he reiterated his confidence that the situation can be resolved.
