Panama's Supreme Court has ruled against Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, saying the concession granted to a subsidiary to operate ports at both ends of the Panama Canal was unconstitutional.


Quote:

The Trump administration made blocking China’s influence over the Panama Canal one of its priorities in the hemisphere. Panama was U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first overseas stop as the United States’ top diplomat. Despite the insistence by Panama’s government and the canal authority that China has no influence over its operations, Rubio made clear that the U.S. viewed the operation of the ports as a national security issue for the U.S. President Donald Trump had gone so far as to say Panama should return the canal to U.S. control.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hong-kong-companys-concession-operate-panama-canal-ports-129690068

tallowood wrote on Jan 31^st, 2026 at 8:19am:

Panama's Supreme Court has ruled against Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, saying the concession granted to a subsidiary to operate ports at both ends of the Panama Canal was unconstitutional. Quote: The Trump administration made blocking China’s influence over the Panama Canal one of its priorities in the hemisphere. Panama was U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first overseas stop as the United States’ top diplomat. Despite the insistence by Panama’s government and the canal authority that China has no influence over its operations, Rubio made clear that the U.S. viewed the operation of the ports as a national security issue for the U.S. President Donald Trump had gone so far as to say Panama should return the canal to U.S. control. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hong-kong-companys-concession-operate-panama-canal-ports-129690068

"The Trump administration made blocking China’s influence over the Panama Canal one of its priorities in the hemisphere"...

Yes, since Trump's 'America First' has finally put an end to the illusory 'rules based order' in place since the foundng of the UN in 1945.

"Despite the insistence by Panama’s government and the canal authority that China has no influence over its operations"

Yes, like the Oz government now demanding the return of the lease granted to China to purchase Darwin Port operations, which the cash-strapped NT govt. implemented in  2015 before the "China threat" theory became a thing. 

Despite the fact even ASIO (!) says the lease is not a security threat.....