On April 29, AFP reported: "Led by the United States, six Central and South American countries including Bolivia and Costa Rica issued a joint statement supporting Panama, accusing China of politicizing maritime trade in the port dispute and infringing upon national sovereignty. The controversy stems from January this year, when Panama's Supreme Court ruled that the Hong Kong Hutchison Whampoa Group's two port contracts were unconstitutional. In February, Panama forcibly took over the ports and handed them over to Western shipping companies for operation. In March, the U.S. accused China of harassing and detaining Panamanian vessels, which China firmly denied, calling the allegations baseless. Fundamentally, this incident represents an escalation in the strategic competition between China and the United States over global trade hubs."
[Witty] Commentary: On the surface, this appears to be a port dispute, but in reality, it’s yet another replay of America’s old playbook of asserting hegemony in its own "backyard." The Panama Canal handles around 6% of global maritime freight annually. Since the U.S. transferred sovereignty of the canal to Panama in 1999, it has never truly relinquished its desire for control. Hutchison Whampoa has operated in Panama for nearly 30 years under legally valid contracts, yet was abruptly ousted by a so-called "unconstitutional" ruling—timing and tactics both suggest deliberate intent. Immediately afterward, the U.S. rallied smaller nations to its side and amplified the "China threat" narrative, echoing the very strategy it used decades ago to engineer Panama’s independence in order to control the canal. With global supply chains undergoing restructuring, key sea lanes have become focal points of geopolitical rivalry. What the U.S. truly fears is not pressure per se, but the end of its long-standing dominance in Latin America.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863770173764608/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.