Washington : US President Donald Trump has said that the United States will not allow China to gain control over the Panama Canal, describing the transfer of the strategic waterway to Panama as a historic mistake and accusing Beijing of trying to expand its influence in the region.
Speaking at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, Trump criticized the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties, under which the United States agreed to transfer control of the Panama Canal to Panama. The handover was completed in 1999.
“The Panama Canal, so we gave it away. The first thing they did was raise the prices for the ships by four times, and then they raised them again,” Trump said, arguing that the decision had benefited Panama at the expense of American interests. He further claimed that China was attempting to gain influence over the strategically important waterway, adding, “We’re not going to let that happen.”
The Panama Canal is one of the world’s most vital maritime trade routes, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and handling roughly 5–6 percent of global seaborne trade each year. The United States remains the canal’s largest user, with about 40 percent of US container traffic passing through the waterway annually.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States should never have relinquished control of the canal and has voiced concerns over China’s growing commercial and strategic presence in Latin America. His latest remarks reflect Washington’s continued focus on countering Beijing’s expanding influence in critical global infrastructure.
China has previously rejected similar allegations, maintaining that its cooperation with Panama is based on mutual economic interests and should not be subject to interference from third countries. Panama, meanwhile, has consistently maintained that the canal remains under its sovereign control and is operated by the Panama Canal Authority.