Port dispute thrusts Panama Canal back into heart of US-China rivalry

> Panama’s president pushed back against Beijing this week after the country’s top court annulled a Hong Kong-backed firm’s right to operate key terminals on the Panama Canal, prompting sharp criticism from China. 

> The decision by Panama's Supreme Court thrust the strategic waterway back into the spotlight, a year after US President #DonaldTrump vowed in his inauguration speech to “take it back”. 

> In a post on X on Wednesday, Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino responded to criticism from China, stating that the Central American country is “governed by the rule of law and respects the decisions of the judiciary, which is independent of the central government”.

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260206-port-dispute-thrusts-panama-canal-back-into-heart-of-us-china-rivalry #China #Panama #US #DonaldTrump #MAGA