Panama ousts Hong Kong operator, enabling canal port takeover welcomed by US

Panama on Monday took control of two ports at the Atlantic and Pacific entrances of the Panama Canal after a Supreme Court ruling voided the concession of their Hong Kong-based operator, a move Washington officials said was “in line with President Donald Trump’s drive to curb Chinese influence” over the strategic waterway. A decree published in the official gazette authorises the Panama Maritime Authority to occupy and run the ports of Balboa and Cristobal for “reasons of urgent social...

Source: scmp.com at 2/23/2026 4:45:03 PM.

Open

#community #communitynews #communityviews #news #views