OP-ED: Fresh proof that Trump is right on Chinese control of the strategic Panama Canal

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From the New York Post: China’s efforts to stop the sale of a company that manages Panama Canal ports is proving President Trump dead right about the strategically vital waterway.

Trump & Co. warn that Beijing’s pressure on Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, which operates two of the ports, could wind up blocking US military and commercial shipping through the canal in the event of a US-China conflict.

Such a national security threat puts the United States (and the West) in an untenable position, so the prez vowed to “take back” control of the canal.

Hutchison then moved to sell its canal operations to a group led by US-based BlackRock — a win for Trump — in a deal that was to be signed Wednesday. But a Chinese state-owned Hong Kong news outlet on March 13 accused Hutchison of “betraying” the Chinese people.

Last week, Chinese officials froze any new deals between state-owned firms and businesses tied to Hutchison’s primary owner, Li Ka-shing. Then Beijing last Friday scuttled the signing for now as it announced a government review of the deal.

READ MORE from the New York Post.

X user Defense Politics Asia warned, “After all the rumors that the CCP ordered Li Ka-Shing to stop the sale of the ports in Panama… the rumor is now true. Now, all it does, is confirming that the ports are effectively under China government’s control.

“Like I had warned, don’t be surprised when USA militarily seize the ports and zero compensation will be given to CK Hutchison. Once something is deemed as a national security issue by a major power, and in this case, a literal super power, expect them to go all the way. (just as Russia literally invaded Ukraine, a once, unimaginable development).”

Prominent X user @amuse also wrote: “President Trump has once again been proven correct. Panama claimed that the Hong Kong-based company, CK Hutchison, which operates the two ports at either end of the Panama Canal, was free from Chinese influence, despite Trump’s assertions to the contrary. China’s recent move to block the sale of these ports to a US company demonstrates its control over them—if China can prevent a sale, it can just as easily restrict access to the canal itself. This effective control by China places Panama in material breach of its treaty obligations. The logical next step is for Panama to end its agreement with CK Hutchison and secure a new operator not under China’s influence.”

From Reuters: “Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison is under mounting pressure to drop its planned sale of ports on the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led group. A pro-Beijing Hong Kong newspaper has criticized the deal depicting it as a betrayal of China.”

Meanwhile, Mexico is reportedly building a canal of their own:

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