US conducts military drills at Panama Canal amid tensions over China’s influence on key trade route

To kick off the drills, three US Army helicopters arrived in Panama on Sunday - two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and a CH-47 Chinook - landing at the Panama-Pacific Airport, formerly the US Howard base read more A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal in Colon, Panama, September 2, 2024. File Image/AP The United States military teamed with Panamanian police to conduct a series of new exercises aimed at protecting the Panama Canal, amid tensions over alleged Chinese influence along the prized trade route. To kick off the drills, three US Army helicopters arrived in…