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Rubio warns China after Panama ship detentions, calls hemisphere sovereignty 'non-negotiable'
Fox News ^ | April 30, 2026 | Efrat Lachter

Posted on 04/30/2026 7:04:02 PM PDT by daniel1212

US and five Latin American nations accuse Beijing of politicizing maritime trade after canal port dispute.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned China that "the sovereignty of our hemisphere is non-negotiable" after the U.S. and regional allies accused Beijing of detaining Panama-flagged ships in a dispute tied to canal port control.

In a joint statement with Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. said China’s actions targeting Panama-flagged vessels were a "blatant attempt to politicize maritime trade" and infringe on regional sovereignty, framing the dispute as a broader strategic test over control of one of the world’s most critical commercial arteries.

While the Panama dispute centers on shipping detentions rather than a physical blockade, critics increasingly view it alongside battles over other strategic choke points, such as the Strait of Hormuz, as part of a widening contest over whether Beijing or Washington will shape the rules governing global trade and energy corridors....

The confrontation follows Panama’s Supreme Court decision earlier in 2026 to invalidate the legal framework behind Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison’s long-held control of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals flanking the Panama Canal, a choke point that handles roughly 5% of global maritime trade.

U.S. regulators have monitored nearly 70 Panama-flagged vessels detained by Chinese authorities since March 8, according to Reuters — a surge American officials say appears designed to retaliate against Panama and pressure global shipping.

"China has used Iran to destabilize the Middle East. In effect, Iran has been China’s proxy," China expert Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital, ..

"Trump apparently decided that he would counter this sly tactic by taking China’s proxies — Venezuela, Cuba and Iran — off the board," Chang said.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; China; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chicom; hostages

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excerpts
1 posted on 04/30/2026 7:04:02 PM PDT by daniel1212
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To: daniel1212

Jimmy Carter and his treasonous Panama Canal sellout caused this problem.


2 posted on 04/30/2026 8:08:40 PM PDT by wjcsux (On 3/14/1883 Karl Marx gave humanity his best gift, he died. )
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To: wjcsux

Jim ah caused a whole lot of this current set of problems.


3 posted on 04/30/2026 9:06:16 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Opinions and belly buttons, everybody has one and they get to show them if they want to.)
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To: daniel1212

Maybe we need to take back the Canal Zone.


4 posted on 05/01/2026 12:07:18 AM PDT by kaktuskid
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