The Panamanian government on Monday Feb. 23 issued a decree ordering the occupation of two ports at the entrances of the Panama Canal, a move triggered by a final Supreme Court ruling that declared the operating concession held by Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchison unconstitutional, Global Times reports today. Hutchison issued a statement that Panama Ports Company has been forced to cease terminal operations.
This was a process unleashed by one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s imperial fantasies, accusing China of “running the Panama Canal,” although Hutchison is not a Chinese government-run company, and in any case only runs the ports, not the canal. China and most of the world recognize this as part of Trump’s colonial effort to drive the Chinese out of the entire Western Hemisphere, as evidenced by the recent kidnapping of Venezuela’s government and the manipulated ouster of Peru’s President over the issue of the Chancay Port, built by the Chinese.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Feb. 24, vowed to “firmly protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of its companies when asked to comment on Panamanian authorities’ control of two ports on the Panama Canal from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at her Feb. 24 press conference that China’s position on relevant Panamanian ports is clear: “I believe you have noticed that the company concerned has issued a statement, saying that it will reserve all rights including to proceed legally. China will firmly protect the company’s legitimate and lawful rights and interests,” Mao said.
The Chinese spokesperson for Hong Kong affairs (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR) on Feb. 24 reiterated that the earlier ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of Panama, which declared the operation of the two Panamanian ports by the company concerned unconstitutional, disregarded facts and breached faith. The company concerned had already initiated and commenced arbitration proceedings.
