Panama Canal Not Renewing Agreement with China

Following a Sunday meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino announced the decision not to renew a memorandum of understanding with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The Details: Rubio and Mulino's meeting focused on key regional and global challenges. A focus was President Donald Trump's preliminary determination that the Chinese Communist Party exerts control and influence over the Panama Canal, purportedly violating the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal. Rubio voiced the unacceptable nature of the status quo, emphasizing the need for immediate changes.

For Context: Mulino shared plans to audit a Hong Kong company operating two ports near the canal. The findings could mean early termination of a contract allowing operation through 2046. These developments also arose amid Trump’s imposed 10% tariff on imported Chinese goods.

How The Media Covered It: Outlets like The Independent (Lean Left bias) tended to frame the developments around the nuance of a broader geopolitical picture, while starting its article with a look at Rubio’s demands. Other outlets, like National Review News (Lean Right), opened with a focus on what Panama offered to change as a result of the meeting, framing the developments around a U.S. foreign affairs victory.