By EDITH M. LEDERER
United Nations (AP) At the United Nations on Monday, the United States and China battled over the Panama Canal. The United States warned that Beijing’s control over the vital waterway may jeopardize international trade and security, while China accused the United States of using the accusations as a pretext to seize control of the canal.
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Jos Ra l Mulino, the president of Panama, emphasized the neutrality of the canal and his nation’s sovereignty of the waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific seas during the altercation, which occurred at a U.N. Security Council meeting.
Mulino chaired a meeting on maritime security challenges during Panama’s council chairmanship this month. These include piracy, armed robbery, transnational crime, and cybercriminals using artificial intelligence as a weapon to target ports with the least amount of cybersecurity and the most vulnerability, Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said members.
Even before winning the election in November of last year, U.S. President Donald Trump put Panama in the public eye by saying that his nation should think about regaining control of the Panama Canal and accusing Panama of giving up power to China.
In an effort to make it easier for military and commercial ships to move between its shores, the United States constructed the canal in the early 1900s. President Jimmy Carter signed a contract in 1977 that gave Panama control of the river in 1999.
The council was reminded by China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong that Panama has continuously and successfully operated the canal, contributing significantly to international trade and shipping.
According to him, China has consistently upheld the canal’s permanent neutrality and is fully in favor of Panama preserving its sovereignty over it in order to maintain its openness and seamless functioning.
In her subsequent remarks, acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea criticized China, voicing worries about its excessive control over the Panama Canal region, particularly over vital infrastructure and port operations.
She made reference to China’s aggressive actions and broad, illegal maritime claims in the South China Sea, saying that they show the country’s threat to maritime security and trade. According to her, the United States denies these allegations and backs nations that disagree with them.
According to Shea, China’s involvement in the canal region poses a threat to international trade and security in addition to Panama and the US.
The Hong Kong-based port operator at either end of the canal has been under pressure from the Trump administration to sell those holdings to a U.S. consortium that includes BlackRock Inc.
Although U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Panama in April and reached an agreement with Mulino to increase security coordination, Panama has strongly opposed a control of the canal. Significant protests were held in the capital of Panama as a result of the pact, which also grants American forces access to vital air and naval facilities in the Central American country.
After every council member had had a chance to speak, China’s Fu took the floor to address Shea’s charges, this time criticizing the Trump administration.
He claimed that the United States’ creation of false information and baseless assaults against China are merely a front for claiming ownership of the canal.
The Chinese envoy accused the administration of increasing threats to international maritime security and referred to the United States and its employment of offensive weaponry in the South China Sea region as the worst disruptor of peace and stability in the region.
According to Fu, China strongly opposes economic pressure and bullying tactics and calls on the US to stop spreading false information and stirring up unrest.
In response, Murillo stated that he wished to emphasize Panama’s sovereignty with regard to the canal’s ownership and the global agreement that oversees its management. He referred to the canal’s neutrality as the best and only defense against all dangers, whether local or international.
