Marco Rubio threatens Panama: “US won’t allow China to control the canal”

US Secretary of State, was found today (02.02.2020) in , telling President José Raul Mulino that his country must limit “the Chinese influence” in the canal area, otherwise the Trump administration will take “the necessary measures” to do so. Top diplomat to President Donald Trump’s government, Marco Rubio, began his first foreign visit Sunday, meeting Panama’s president, José Raul Mulino, to discuss US concerns about Chinese companies that may affect US maritime access to the Panama Canal and regional immigration issues. CORVERSE Rubio is conducting his first tour of Central America and the Caribbean as Secretary of State, as he seeks to refocus American diplomacy on the western hemisphere – partly to recruit aid to limit migration to the southern US border. “I met the President and Secretary of State of Panama to make it clear that the United States cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area. We also discussed the efforts to end the mass migration crisis of the hemisphere and ensure fair competition for American companies,” he wrote in a post. CORVERSE The visit also reflects the US’s desire to face China’s growing diplomatic influence in Latin America. Trump, when he returned to power, threatened to take control of the Panama Canal, built by the United States in the early 20th century and surrendered to Panama under the 1977 Treaty, claiming that the channel is operated by China. These comments caused a public reaction and Panama reprimanded Trump’s threats. China has stated that it plays no role in the operation of the canal and respects Panama’s sovereignty and independence in the canal. The channel is operated by the Panama Canal Authority, an autonomous agency supervised by the Panamanian government. Following Trump’s threat of getting the canal back, Panama began checking out the listed Hong Kong company CK Hutchison Holdings, which controls two ports at the channel entrances to the Atlantic and Pacific. Rubio, said last week that China could use ports to close the channel, a vital route for American shipping, in case of a conflict between Beijing and Washington.