Trump: U.S. ships should pass through the Suez and Panama Canals without charge

Local time on April 26, US President Donald Trump said on the "Truth Social" platform that US military and civilian ships should be allowed to pass through the Panama Canal and Suez Canal for free.

Trump said: "I have asked (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately address and document this situation."

According to Reuters, the Panama Canal crosses the narrowest part of the isthmus between North America and South America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal handles about 40% of the United States' container transportation volume.

The United States completed the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 20th century. The treaty signed by Panama and the United States in 1977 recognized Panama's sovereignty over the canal and the canal zone, and the United States finally returned the canal completely to Panama on December 31, 1999.

Trump has repeatedly stated that he hopes the United States can "regain" control of this canal. Before his inauguration, he told reporters that he would not rule out using economic or military means to regain control of the canal.

The Suez Canal is located at a strategic point where Europe, Asia, and Africa meet, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Canal revenue is one of Egypt's main sources of national fiscal revenue and foreign exchange reserves.

After the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict on October 7, 2023, the Houthi armed group, in support of the Palestinians in Gaza, continuously launched attacks on some international ships on parts of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden routes. Prior to this, the freight volume of the Suez Canal accounted for about 10% of global maritime trade.

The attacks by the Houthi armed group forced ships to detour around the southern tip of Africa, thus extending the voyage and increasing freight costs. Last year, Egypt claimed that the income from the Suez Canal plummeted by 60%, with losses reaching $7 billion.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Network and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497771643486487077/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Please use the "Like/Dislike" buttons below to express your opinions.