Washington DC:
The considered China is haunting Donald Trump who’s troubled over Beijing’s rising affect proper beneath US’ tail – the Panama Canal – a bridge connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean by strategically situated Panama, the nation which hyperlinks North and South America.
US President-elect Trump, who’s all the time able to threaten others with tariffs, can be perturbed by Panama charging “extreme tariffs” for the usage of the Panama Canal. So unsettled is he, by the mix of those two elements, that Mr Trump has overtly declared that the US would possibly think about taking management of the Panama Canal.
Writing about his issues on his social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump warned that he would by no means let the Panama canal fall into the “mistaken fingers.” Reminding the federal government in Panama that the canal was initially constructed by the United States greater than a century in the past, Mr Trump wrote “It was solely for Panama to handle, not China, or anybody else”.
He additional re-posted a video of himself titled “We would and can NEVER let it fall into the mistaken fingers!”
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PANAMA CANAL
Till the early twentieth century the shortest option to attain the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean and vice versa was to both sail round Cape Horn situated in Chile on the southern tip of South America or to sail by the Strait of Magellan – additionally on the southern finish of South America – in Chile. Both meant crusing across the complete continent of South America and practically reaching Antarctica earlier than crusing again up both into the Pacific or the Atlantic – this was neither economical, nor environment friendly.
After a lot thought, analysis and survey, a slim, however doable means was found slicing throughout the Isthmus of Panama. However, there was a herculean problem to be overcome in an effort to obtain that. The waterway was at completely different ranges and there was no means a ship might both climb or descend the place there was a sudden change in topography. For the waterway within the isthmus to be transformed right into a man-made canal, it will require an engineering marvel – one which was each inconceivable and remarkable within the early twentieth Century.
The United States of America was the one nation on the time that had the technical data and experience to have the ability to make it occur. And so, in May, 1904 – lower than a 12 months after Panama declared Independence from Colombia in November, 1903, the US started the development of the Panama Canal. A treaty was signed between the United States and Panama beneath which the canal could be constructed and managed by the US. After 10 years of engineering works round the clock, the Panama Canal grew to become a actuality in August, 1914 with the SS Ancon changing into the primary ship to go by the canal.
The US continued to manage and function the canal and its surrounding areas till a brand new settlement was signed between Panama and the US known as the Torrijos-Carter Treaty in 1977. This supplied for the handover of the canal to Panama after joint operations for practically twenty years. The Panamanian authorities took full management of the canal in 1999.
DONALD TRUMP vs PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT JOSE MULINO
Apart from the warning that the US would by no means permit operations of the Panama Canal to be handed over to a different nation amid China’s rising affect and muscular posturing globally, Donald Trump expressed his displeasure over “very excessive” tariffs being charged by Panama.
Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump mentioned “The charges being charged by Panama are ridiculous, particularly realizing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US.”
“It was not given for the advantage of others, however merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama. If the ideas, each ethical and authorized, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are usually not adopted, then we are going to demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and with out query,” Mr Trump added.
Hours after Donald Trump’s warning, the Panamanian authorities responded, although with out naming the US President-elect. Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed the threats by posting a video on social media platform X that “Every sq. meter of the Panama Canal and its adjoining areas belongs to Panama and can proceed belonging to Panama.”
“The canal has no direct or oblique management from China, nor the European Union, nor the United States or every other energy,” President Mulino mentioned, including that “As a Panamanian, I reject any manifestation that misrepresents this actuality.” His video message was in Spanish.
🇵🇦 Mensaje del Presidente José Raúl Mulino 🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/DMXU8qAuNT
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) December 22, 2024
President Mulino additionally mentioned he hopes to have “a great and respectful relationship” with the incoming Trump administration. Donald Trump responded quickly after the posts by the Panamanian President however saved everybody guessing when he wrote “We’ll see about that!”.
Meanwhile, amid the facility tussle between the US and China by way of its army and naval prowess, it is very important observe that China now has the world’s largest navy, surging previous the United States. China has a declared fleet measurement of greater than 370 ships and submarines. This is considerably bigger than the fleet measurement of the US Navy, which is 290 ships and submarines.
The Panama Canal is among the many most vital waterways of the world by way of commerce and commerce, and freedom of navigation of the seas has been among the many topmost priorities of the democratic world, and a cornerstone of its coverage.