China's Role in the Panama Canal Controversy

When Donald Trump criticized Panama for its management of the canal that he claimed had fallen under Chinese control, many people at first thought this was just another round of Trump's usual bluster. But since his election last November, the President has been relentless in pressuring the government in Panama City and shows no signs of backing down until all Chinese entities have been expelled from the canal zone.
Alonso Illueca, an associate law professor at the Universidad Santa María La Antigua and a specialist in China-Panama relations, joins Eric & Cobus from Panama City to discuss the escalating crisis and why the government doesn't have a lot of options to push back against the U.S.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque
Facebook: ChinaAfricaProject
KZbin: / @chinaglobalsouth
Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social
FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:
Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat
JOIN US ON PATREON!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

[@pauline9085]

I am really encouraged to see after reading some of the comments below. These comments are spot on. I have to say that the guest invited here has a lot of digging to do in terms of his knowledge on geopolitics and history. His understanding is quite limited. Maybe he can go see some of Ben Norton's broadcasts.

[@wunwong9251]

I mean, the US gov say they require Human Rights, Transparency, etc. improvements for Aid, but in reality the US gov doesn't care about those as they work with dictatorships and genocidal governments all the time. When words don't match actions it breaks the trust.

[@chinaglobalsouth]

That may have been true for previous US governments but I don't think that's the case for the current government. - Eric

[@wunwong9251]

@@chinaglobalsouth So you think we're going to annex Greenland and invade Mexico and Panama?

[@serliplm3693]

Very agree❤

[@serliplm3693]

​@chinaglob😢😂😂😂alsouth

[@alfred-vz8ti]

well, it would do, if there ever was any. ask the nezperce, lakota or cherokee, they have extensive experience..

[@NukeTelAviv]

12:00 American invaded Panama. China built infrastructure in Panama. If you aren't going to illustrate the historical context, then you aren't actually interested in informing people.

[@chinaglobalsouth]

You clearly did not listen to the full show because I mentioned that I am old enough to remember the U.S. assault on Panama that led to the removal of Manuel Noriega. You shouldn’t post a comment like this if you don’t listen to the full program. - Eric

[@MegaCavatina]

It’s very very important to note that CK Hutchinson is a PRIVATE Hong Kong company. Li Ka-Shing is considered by Forbes to be the 33rd richest person in the world. Thus, the two ports at either end of the Panama Canal are NOT under the control of the Chinese Government. The dividing lines here should not be blurred as Li Ka-Shing has not always gotten along with Beijing. Your guest has provided valuable insights into the relation’s between Panama and the U.S. and was fascinating to listen to. However, IMHO, your guest has swallowed US propaganda about Xinjiang, Tibet and Taiwan lock, stock and barrel. He should visit Xinjiang and Tibet and see for himself what the reality is in those regions. China has already developed other trade routes vis-a-vis Latin America , such as the new port in Peru. Also the Panama Canal is not wide enough for the largest container ships, so there is talk of building another canal through Nicaragua. The world is changing rapidly and it’s difficult for the smaller nations in the world to position themselves successfully.

[@danielch6662]

People are talking as if Panama is not an independent sovereign country, with a population twice that of Slovenia where you-know-who is from. We the US gets to dictate to them who they are allowed to get into a business relationship with. WTF. Panama does what is best for Panamanians. If we let Trump decide, he will want Panama forever remain poor and all it is is the canal. He doesn't care about the lives of people living there.

[@isaacNewton-k5x]

Taiwan is not a state or a country as mentioned by the guest speaker. The so-called human rights violations in Xinjiang are also false. These clearly show the kind of viewpoint he comes from

[@joedotard6149]

Is Alonso Panama''s version of Gordon Chang?

[@user-pr1ll1zy4n]

He should go to see the Uyghurs in Xinjaing to ask and see with his own eyes if there are human rights issues. Plenty of videos on YT about westerners who have been there and seen how happy the Uyghurs are with the help of th cpc.

[@JA-pn4ji]

When US allied states/individuals reference Uighurs or 'persecution of christians in Hong Kong' or use the words CCP, they're engaged in a performance of ideological obeisance to the United States. It is similar to what lower level dogs perform to the alpha dog of showing themselves as harmless by rolling over and exposing their stomachs. In this way it is not principally a performance about being united on the truth of an allegation but one of allegiance to whatever viewpoint the alpha dog propounds.

[@truthaboveall7988]

the western tale of genocide has long ago been debunked including by the Muslim/Arab world themselves after visiting & investigating - America was invited to do the same but only one company was wise enough to send in investigators Sketchers found none of the evidence & didn’t sanction the Uyghurs which the US did & to hurt them into becoming terrorists again

[@pauline9085]

Thanks you for spreading truth. US has a 1.6 billion dollars budget to spread propagandas against China.

[@JacintaPalerm]

Further back from the Noriega episode, Panama was part of Colombia

[@zefreak]

This was a very good episode - i dont agree with the guest on everything and it does say something about his narrow view of human rights that he sees the US before trump as a great ally, but that doesnt negate his commentary on the risk this causes to Panama and latin america. I knew the comments would be focused on Xinjiang and so called western democracy but his is a very common viewpoint and should be engaged with

[@Didmasela]

@zefreak: what risk does this cause to Panama and latin america?

[@cannonfodder4376]

An informative interview as always guys.

[@netizencapet]

Correction: it has always been raw power that has determined geopolitics. | Also: great guest! Finally, someone info. rich who tells us at least a few things we didn't know (e.g., the number & nature of the ports, bridges, etc. built by the Chinese infra firm, the absence of the PRC in the Panama Canal Neutrality treaty, the Salas Becker agreement, the early treaty granting the right of US intervention during the mid-19th C. between the then Columbian province & US, and the note abt Scheinbaum's ability to push back on Trump airlifts versus the govt of Columbia, etc.)

[@grannylil8036]

The Guest speaker is not very Knowledgeable about the true situation in China’

[@vusimdudu9033]

I suppose anyone can have their views on China, I am just tired of supposed experts trotting out baseless nonsense about China. Just a big turn off. Can I take anything this person says?

[@chinaglobalsouth]

Um, he’s literally one of the top experts in Sino-Panamanian relations and he’s from Panama. - Eric

[@NukeTelAviv]

​@@chinaglobalsouth then he should act like it

[@mchparity]

⁠@@NukeTelAvivMr Illueca clearly is well aligned with US. To see him squeal at the very end after the Schmitt disinformation blast is such a treat! I’m reading the Bolivia chapter of The Racket by Matt Kennard, and can’t help to think Panama is what Bolivia will look like if USAID succeeds.

[@wunwong9251]

@@chinaglobalsouth I think his viewpoint is very informative. The Taiwan thing is crazy though, especially when he's supposed to be knowledgeable in international law. That's extreme and inadvisable.

[@pauline9085]

@@NukeTelAviv Agree with you. I am also a bit disappointed about this experts international knowledge, he suggested on building relationship with Taiwan. UN recognized Taiwan is a part of China. If you understand the history, Taiwan has a very long history as part of China before US military went over and pok around.

[@netizencapet]

Trump should confine himself to getting prices down on US ships. The canal water level is too low & both US & China should build it out to alleviate backup. Canal already is neutral. Chinese infra build only helps US commerce.

[@netizencapet]

Very much looking forward to your Spanish language podcast. When do you expect to begin?

[@swapansinha5717]

All world countries should have alternative financial systems. And work for another currency.....

[@willliam1420]

We can't be too hard on the Panamanian guy as he believes that USA has Panama by the balls

[@bertanelson8062]

Thanks for this information. USA has had significant military, social & economic leverage over Panama for more than 150 years. Talk about a 51st state! It's likely that Panama's gov't will give USA whatever it wants that is in Panama's power to give. Yet Chinese business & port presence will not be easily dislodged. What Chinese business leaders do, potentially backed by Bejing, is unknown. Pushing back the influence of Chinese business endeavors, diplomacy & social influence around the world is a lost cause. BRICS solidarity & further determination for economic sovereignty will grow stronger even if exposed to increased hardships with this type of USA power projection.

[@Zakaius]

🥱🥱

[@jonathanherreen2560]

boring interview 😢