Panama urges respect for canal neutrality amid US-China rivalry

The United States and China are the two biggest users of the Panama Canal, which handles five percent of global maritime trade, giving it vital economic and geostrategic importance read more Panama hopes to maintain a "respectful" relationship with the United States, even as President Donald Trump has repeated threats to retake the Panama Canal, Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Acha said Saturday. His comments came ahead of a visit next week by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a trip made more urgent against the backdrop of Trump's threats and his allegations of Chinese interference in the canal. "We discussed illegal migration,…