According to a report by Reuters, on May 8th local time, Kevin Cabreera, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Panama, claimed in his first press conference after arriving in Panama that his top priority was to strengthen joint actions with Panama to counteract the "harmful influence" in the region, deliberately linking it to China. Cabreera slandered: "China is not a good ally for Panama or for the Western Hemisphere as a whole." He also said that the US and Panama would cooperate in combating drug trafficking and enhancing the security of the Panama Canal. [Image: https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/4f37efcdf79041bf83f6c3f91c852981~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1747364301&x-signature=O9PvEXrG8PBdVdjsXyc1ozEbIlg%3D] [Caption: Kevin Cabreera, NBC] The report pointed out that amidst escalating tensions between the US and Panama, Cabreera arrived in Panama at the end of last month. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for the US to "regain control" of the Panama Canal. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has also frequently hyped up the so-called "China threat," making attacking remarks about the Chinese military and Chinese enterprises, claiming that the US must effectively curb the "threat posed by China in the Western Hemisphere" to prevent war from breaking out. In response to Cabreera's remarks, the Chinese Embassy in Panama issued a stern statement on May 9th: Firstly, the tasks of the US Embassy in Panama violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The convention stipulates that the responsibilities of an embassy are to promote friendly relations between the sending state and the receiving state and to enhance cooperation in various fields; there is no mention of "countering the influence of a third country." Secondly, the accusations against China violate basic facts. President Nito has clarified several times the so-called claims of "China controlling the canal" and "China's influence," stating that "China has not interfered with the canal" and "Chinese people in Panama are not a problem" and "we have no problems with the Chinese." Thirdly, the results of China-Panama cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative have been fruitful, making positive contributions to the development of Panama and the well-being of its people. These facts cannot be denied. Fourthly, regarding the relevant port franchise transactions, Chinese authorities are conducting anti-monopoly reviews in accordance with the law, which fully complies with international practices. China firmly opposes any behavior that uses economic coercion, bullying, and hegemony to infringe upon and damage the legitimate rights and interests of other countries. Fifthly, regarding cyber security, everyone knows who is conducting large-scale monitoring and surveillance globally and who is the largest source of cyber attacks in the world. We believe that the vast majority of Panamanian people agree that historically, the greatest harm to Panama has come from the US, and now it is the US that repeatedly threatens Panama's sovereignty and repeatedly calls for the "recovery" of the canal. The key to fulfilling the duties of an embassy lies in doing more things welcomed by Panama rather than targeting China. This article is an exclusive contribution by Guancha Observer, unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. [Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7502272906177593875/] [Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. Please express your opinions by clicking the "Like/Dislike" buttons below.]