U.S. Secretary of State Meets with Panamanian President: CCP to Be Expelled from the Panama Canal

(People News) - On Sunday, February 2, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began his first official overseas visit since taking office, starting in Panama. Rubio met with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and clearly stated that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a threat to the Panama Canal, a situation that requires immediate change.

According to Dajiyuan, Rubio met President Mulino at the presidential residence in Panama City. Rubio and his delegation later held talks with Mulino, Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez, and other Panamanian officials. Neither side made comments to the media before the meeting.

According to a statement from the U.S. State Department, Rubio, President Mulino, and Foreign Minister Vásquez discussed "critical regional and global challenges."

The statement also noted that during the talks, Rubio conveyed to the Panamanian president and foreign minister that President Trump had preliminarily determined that "the CCP's current influence and control over the Panama Canal region constitutes a threat to the canal and violates the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal."

"The Secretary of State, Rubio, made it clear that this status quo is unacceptable, and if immediate changes are not made, the U.S. will have to take necessary measures to protect the rights outlined in the treaty," the State Department statement said.

President Trump, in his inaugural address on January 20, vowed that the U.S. would "take back" the Panama Canal, stating that China (the CCP) currently controls this crucial waterway.

During his speech, Trump said, "In building the Panama Canal, the United States spent more money than ever before and lost 38,000 lives."

"This gift, which should never have been given, has treated us very poorly. Panama has broken its promises to us," Trump said. "The purpose of our agreements and the spirit of the treaty have been completely trampled. U.S. ships are being severely overcharged and are not being treated fairly in any way, shape, or form—including the U.S. Navy."

Trump concluded by emphasizing, "Most importantly, China (the CCP) is operating the Panama Canal. We did not hand it over to China (the CCP); we handed it over to Panama. We are going to take it back."

Trump also warned that he did not rule out using military force for this purpose.

Although Panamanian President Mulino previously claimed that there would be no negotiations with the U.S. regarding the ownership of the canal, facing President Trump's tough stance, Panama has initiated an audit of CK Hutchison Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed company that operates ports at both the Atlantic and Pacific entrances of the canal.

This move is seen as Panama preparing to compromise with the U.S. by reclaiming operational control of both ends of the canal from Hutchison Ports, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings.

Last week, Rubio stated that if a conflict were to break out between the U.S. and China, the CCP could use these ports to shut down the canal, which is a critical route for U.S. shipping.

Under U.S. pressure, the CCP has shifted from its previously aggressive "wolf warrior" stance and denied involvement in the canal's operations.

The U.S. State Department also said that Secretary Rubio expressed gratitude for the productive discussions and emphasized America's commitment to making both countries "safer, stronger, and more prosperous." He noted that this meeting marked an important step in revitalizing the strategic relationship between the U.S. and Panama, aligning with President Trump's vision.

Rubio also plans to visit an energy facility and the Panama Canal.

In addition to Panama, Rubio’s tour includes visits to El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. This trip reflects the U.S.'s intention to counter the CCP's growing diplomatic influence in Latin America.