Speaking to supporters in North Dakota, the U.S. leader emphasized that the administration is closely monitoring the situation surrounding the canal and intends to counter any attempts to increase Chinese influence in the region.
“China is currently trying to take control of the Panama Canal. We will not allow that to happen,” Trump said.
The U.S. president also once again criticized the U.S. government’s decision to transfer the Panama Canal to Panamanian jurisdiction, calling the move one of Washington’s biggest strategic mistakes. He emphasized that the United States had invested enormous resources in the construction of the canal, which became one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country’s history and played a key role in global trade and international shipping for decades.
“We handed it over to Panama, and they reaped enormous profits from it. It was a very foolish decision. It is the most expensive and most profitable project we have ever built,” the White House chief stressed.
The statement came amid the ongoing rivalry between the U.S. and China for influence in strategically important regions of the world. In recent years, Washington has repeatedly expressed concern over Beijing’s expanding economic and infrastructure presence in Latin American countries, viewing it as a challenge to its geopolitical interests in the Western Hemisphere.
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