China fires back after Pete Hegseth calls country a threat to Panama Canal

ai generated text

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats from China.

Chinese Embassy
1. Who represents the real threat to the Canal? People will make their own judgement.
2. The US has carried out a sensationalistic campaign about the 'theoretical Chinese threat' in an attempt to sabotage Chinese-Panamanian cooperation, which is all just rooted in the United State's own geopolitical interests.
José Raúl Mulino
1. We aren't going to speak about what is not reality, but rather those issues that interest both countries.
Pete Hegseth
US Department of Defense
1. China does not operate this canal and China will not weaponize this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations through the deterrent power of the strongest, most effective and most lethal fighting force in the world.
2. I want to be very clear, China did not build this canal.
3. China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area.
4. You and your country's hard work is making a difference. Increased security cooperation will make both our nation's safer, stronger and more prosperous.
5. That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable.
6. To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades.

Panama Canal