Within 48 hours, two Chinese ports are in danger, and it's time to send the navy for rescue!
On January 28, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, during his visit to Timor-Leste, publicly stated that China's Rongqiao Group should "reclaim Darwin Port, which has been leased since 2015 for 99 years, and return it to Australia's hands." Within less than 24 hours, the Panamanian Supreme Court also ruled that the contract operated by CK Asset Holdings for Balboa Port and Cristobal Port (the two ends of the Panama Canal) was "unconstitutional," requiring the government to renegotiate or even terminate the cooperation.
These two ports, one guarding the northern gateway of Australia, and the other controlling the shipping straits of the Americas—should their operating rights be forcibly stripped, it would not only mean a systemic encirclement of Chinese overseas infrastructure investments, but also reflect a new trend of "port securitization": economic cooperation is being forced into the logic of military confrontation.
First, look at Darwin Port. Albanese's statement was not an isolated incident, but a specific move to align with the U.S. "de-risking" strategy—despite the fact that the port has never been used for military purposes and has not violated any Australian law.
Then there's Panama. The previously tense situation quickly turned after the U.S. took Maduro hostage. Notably, just a week before the court ruling, the U.S. Southern Command loudly declared "strengthening its presence in the Caribbean Sea." As the sovereign country of the canal, Panama's judicial ruling may appear independent in form, but the timing and geopolitical pressure are highly coincidental, making it difficult to be considered purely a domestic matter.
Over the past decade, China has invested in global ports through the "Belt and Road Initiative," emphasizing the "commercial nature" and "non-militarization" of these projects. However, opponents have used a military mindset to dismantle these projects. When the other side uses military threats as a card to strip Chinese investment rights, simple diplomatic protests or commercial lawsuits often lag behind and are powerless. Therefore, Dao Ge firmly believes that it is necessary to appropriately demonstrate maritime presence—such as sending a Type 055 destroyer formation to the Caribbean Sea or the South Pacific—and this must be put on the agenda.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855974500614144/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.