China, Panama and Trump

Trump says China controls the Panama Canal — but here's how it really works
Experts dispute President Donald Trump’s claims that the Panama Canal is controlled by China and overcharging U.S. ships.
Panama: China does not have control of the canal, Panama says in anticipation of Rubio's visit
Panama City, Panama - January 27, 2025 China does not control the Panama Canal, nor does it charge more tolls to the United States, says its former administrator, Jorge Quijano, in an interview with EFE in which he deconstructs the discourse used by US President Donald Trump to argue his intention to "regain" the operation of the route between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
China Reacts to Trump Claim About Panama Canal Control
China has fired back at President Donald Trump, dismissing his claim that Beijing has seized control of the Panama Canal as baseless and provocative. Newsweek reached out by email to a Trump representative and to Hutchison Ports, a Hong Kong–based port operator that controls ports near the canal, for comment.
Trump’s Panama Canal ambitions gain traction in GOP-led Senate
Republicans hoping to thwart Beijing’s influence in Latin America are urging the Panamanian government to cut ties with Chinese entities.
Trump's vow to reclaim Panama canal amid China tensions
Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would "take back" the Panama Canal. During his inauguration, he expressed concerns over Panama’s breach of trust and China's influence on this crucial maritime route.
‘We’re taking it back.’ Trump’s comments on the Panama Canal spur pushback from Panama
We're taking it back.' Trump inauguration speech claim that the U.S. will regain control of the Panama Canal spurs immediate reaction in Panama.
Does China 'operate' Panama Canal, as Trump says?
On Christmas Day, Trump posted on social media that the "wonderful soldiers of China" were "lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal" - a claim which was swiftly denied by officials in Panama City and Beijing.
Trump Sets Up Conflict With Panama and China Over Canal
In his speech, Trump said the U.S. will attempt to reassert control over the Panama Canal, claiming that China is giving preferential treatment over the crucial waterway bridging the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Reclaiming the Panama Canal Could End Up Backfiring For Trump, Experts Warn
Trump's canal claims would undermine U.S.-Panama relations, boost China's influence, and revive regional tensions, harming both countries' interests, two experts argued
Marco Rubio Preps Panama Visit Amid Trump’s Escalating Canal Rhetoric
The new Secretary of State already has said the Hong Kong-based operator of Panama Canal-adjacent ports could be a “big national security and defense problem.”
What Panamanians have to say about Trump's threats to retake the canal
They say they fought too hard to wrest it from the U.S. to now hand back the waterway, which is part of the nation’s identity.
Donald Trump goes light on China on Day 1, except where the Panama Canal is concerned
China got only one mention in US President Donald Trump's inaugural address on Monday, but the comment was threatening - ...
Trump’s Colombia Tariff Threat Targeted a Vibrant Alternative to China
By declaring he’d put tariffs on goods from the South American country, the president imperiled a growing influx of foreign investment there.