The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseeth, announced on Wednesday that the officials of the United States and Panama would sign a “frame” agreement that allows US warships to travel “first and free” through the Panama Canal.
Hegseeth said that the two countries had already signed a memorandum of understanding of security cooperation and that it would end a document that guarantees US warships and priority of auxiliary ships, the toll passage through the channel.
When Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama earlier this year, the State Department said he had assured an agreement for the free approval of US war ships.
But President Panamano, José Raúl Mulino, denied that any scope of this type had reached.
“I completely reject that statement,” Mulino said at that time.
The Panama Canal Authority also said that “had not made any adjustment” to its tariff structure.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hegseeth warned that China’s military presence in the Western hemisphere is “too great” while visiting Panama to meet with nations officials, visit US troops and travel the channel ports.
“Do not be mistaken, Beijing is investing and operating in this region to obtain a military advantage and an unfair economic gain,” Hegseeth said in the comments from the letter to the press.
“The Chinese army has a presence too large in the Western hemisphere. Military facilities and land stations operate that extend their reach to space. The natives and the earth exploit to feed the fishing of military fishing for fishing fishing fishing fishing fishing fishing fishing. Our people.”
He added that the war with China “is not inevitable,” and the United States does not see war in any way.
“Together, we must prevent war by determining China’s threats in this hemisphere.”
To strengthen military ties with the influence of Panama and Rassert on the channel, the United States will display the comfort of the USNS, a ship from the Hospital de la Marina, to the region.
Hegseeth promised on Tuesday that the United States “will recover” the Panama Canal of Chinese influence, pointing out the port operations controlled by CK Hutchison, based in Hong Kong.
Later, the secretary said Wednesday that he and Panaman officials would sign an agreement that US warships would travel “first and free” through the Panama Canal.
Last month, the conglomerate agreed a $ 19 billion agreement to sell a group of 43 ports, including two in Panama, Blackrock based in the USA. UU.,
Trump praised the agreement, seen as a solution to his complaints that the channel was owned by China, but now that agreement can fall apart.
China has criticized the agreement, opening antimonopoly probes, and a Panamanian official accused CK Hutchison of not properly renewing his contract in 2021 and owes $ 300 million to the country.
After meeting with Mulino, Hegseeth said Tuesday that the US will not allow China to threaten the operation of the channel.
“To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than in decades,” he said.
Hegseeth alluded to the ports owned by CK Hutchison.
“Continuous China -based companies to control critical infrastructure in the channel area,” he said.
“That gives China the potential to carry out surveillance activities in Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less safe, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable.”
The Chinese embassy in Panama replied: “The United States has carried out a sensationalist campaign on the ‘Chinese Chinese theoretical threat’ in an attempt to sabotage Chinese-Panamanian cooperation, which is rooted in the ‘own geopolos of the United States'” “” “” “”.
The Word of Words in Panama occurs when China and the United States are now locked in a commercial war, where Trump slapped Chinese products with a total rate of 104%.
China retaliates with 84% of tariffs on US assets.
