David A. Gantz
Introduction
President Donald Trump’s comments threatening to resume United States control of the Panama Canal, reiterated in his inaugural address on Jan. 20, could have significant political consequences for U.S. influence in the region. [1]
The dangers go well beyond assertions that Panama is charging unreasonable tolls for ships transiting the Canal, even though there appears to be a valid basis for Trump’s assertions that rates are excessive, as discussed more fully below. [2] Similarly, Hong Kong/Chinese port management companies that have been operating in Panama for almost 30 years are not currently a threat to the neutrality of the canal, although an increased Chinese presence could be considered a risk in the future. The Trump administration’s concerns also reflect the fact that some 70% of canal traffic consists of shipments to or from the United States as well as an awareness of significant Chinese influence in the areas near the canal.
This threat, like the reiteration of Trump’s desire to take over Greenland, seems to be anything but a joke, designed in significant part to make clear that “decades of U.S. commerce financing China’s growth and strategic footprint in the Americas is over,” according to a senior Trump official. [3]
No comments:
Post a Comment