Politics USA: US ships no longer pay fees in the Panama Canal
Following fierce criticism from Washington of the administration of the Panama Canal, US government ships are no longer to pay transit fees in future.
06.02.2025, 03:36
SDA
The government of Panama has made this commitment, the US State Department announced on Platform X. This would save the USA millions of dollars, it added. There was initially no comment from the Panamanian side.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the USA is not being treated fairly in the Panama Canal. Trump also claims that China operates the important waterway in Central America. Both Panama and China have denied the allegations. However, Panama is under considerable pressure to make concessions. The Republican has not ruled out a military operation on the Panama Canal. The waterway was built by the USA at the beginning of the 20th century.
At the weekend, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Panama to underline Trump's claim to control over the Panama Canal. He also criticized China's influence on the global waterway as unacceptable.
US Secretary of Defense names Panama Canal top priority
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke on the phone with Panama's Security Minister Frank Ábrego on Wednesday (local time). Hegseth emphasized that safeguarding the national security interests of the USA is a "top priority", according to a statement from his ministry. This includes securing unimpeded access to the Panama Canal and keeping it free from foreign interference.
Ábrego wrote on X that Hegseth would visit Panama in April, but only mentioned the common interests of the two countries in security and migration issues as a topic of the telephone conversation.
The Hong Kong company Hutchison Ports PPC has been operating large container terminals on both sides of the canal since 1997. The company is owned by a wealthy Hong Kong family. However, there are fears that the government in Beijing could also use private Chinese companies to expand its influence over ports and shipping routes.
