US secures free passage through Panama Canal amidst tensions
Ships owned by the United States government will be able to pass through the Panama Canal without incurring charges, allowing US authorities to save millions of pounds every year. According to a statement from the US State Department, the Panamanian government has made this commitment.
US government ships will be able to use the Panama Canal without charges, the US State Department announced on Wednesday on the social network X.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth spoke on Wednesday with Panama's Minister of Public Security, Frank Abrego. During the conversation, Abrego stressed that safeguarding the USA's national security interests is a "top priority." This includes ensuring unhindered access to the Panama Canal and protecting it from foreign interference.
On February 2nd, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panama's President, Jose Raul Mulino, in the capital. During the meeting, he said the current status of the Panama Canal and China's influence in the area are unacceptable to the USA.
In his inaugural speech on January 20, US President Donald Trump warned that the United States may take control of the Panama Canal if it judges that Panama is not adhering to the terms of the 1977 treaty. He had previously stressed that handing over control of this strategically important waterway to Panama in 1999 was a "gesture of cooperation," not a concession.
Panama concedes
President Mulino announced an audit of the ports near the canal, which Chinese companies manage. He also assured the Panamanian government would not renew its agreement to join the 2017 Chinese "Belt and Road" initiative.
Since 1997, Hutchison Ports PPC, based in Hong Kong, has operated large container terminals on both sides of the canal. However, the DPA agency notes concerns that the Beijing government may extend its influence over ports and shipping routes through private Chinese companies.
The US government owns various vessels in addition to warships and Coast Guard units. These include research ships from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ships from the US Army Corps of Engineers for hydrographic and topographic research, icebreakers such as the USCGC Polar Star used by the Coast Guard for navigation and missions in polar regions, and administrative tugs that assist larger vessels in ports.
