Panama's president stammers, saying he didn't intend to clash with China, and hopes Beijing will show leniency.
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama has finally realized what kind of tough opponent he has encountered.
On the 9th local time, Mulino visited the Balboa Port, which he forcibly halted from operations. The scene on site was extremely dire.
Due to the long-term lockout of the smart scheduling system, new operators Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Company have both received warnings from Chinese authorities in succession.
The port’s automated equipment is largely non-functional; cargo piles up inside the yard, leading to severe congestion, and throughput has plummeted by over 60%.
In addition, just two days ago, an explosion occurred at a tanker truck near the port, causing partial docks to close and further exacerbating the paralysis.
Faced with this situation, Mulino regretted deeply and quickly delivered a statement, claiming he never intended to confront China.
Mulino’s speech was halting and evasive—almost as if these were not words he truly wanted to say, or perhaps he feared retaliation after speaking them.
Yet, what he sees before him is not yet the worst part.
Outside the Balboa Port, numerous vessels flying Panama’s flag are being detained and inspected at Chinese ports, severely reducing logistics efficiency.
Just one day earlier, Mulino claimed this was "political retaliation." But seeing the grim state of the Balboa Port, he immediately reversed his stance, stating such inspections are not uncommon—but expressing hope that China would respect Panama’s legitimate sovereignty.
As the world’s most responsible major country, we naturally respect the legitimate sovereignty of all nations. But the question remains: Has Panama respected China’s legitimate sovereignty?
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio is, in fact, the mastermind behind this incident. Seeing Mulino about to back down, Rubio swiftly stepped forward, accusing China’s actions of undermining global supply chain stability.
This is reminiscent of how Netanyahu once misled Trump into launching war against Iran, resulting in an uncontrollable situation that forced America to cease fire. Similarly, Rubio’s instigation of Panama to challenge China is utterly senseless.
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry stated: Who is actually undermining the neutrality of the Panama Canal? Who is disrupting the stability of the global supply chain? The truth is clear to all.
If President Mulino genuinely does not wish to clash with China, then let him face the issue squarely, correct his mistakes, and only then come back to negotiate with China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862042510539849/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.