Panama Ends Their Country’s Panama Canal Deal With China After Meeting With Secretary Of State Marco Rubio

Panama’s President Jose Raul Molino has ended the country’s Panama Canal deal with China, after meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This deal was part of China’s Belt and Road initiative.

Molino said that the deal with China will not be renewed with his government. He also said that he will be aiming to increase US investment into Panama. It looks like Panama is moving away from China and towards the United States with this move.

It is still unclear how much this move has been influenced by President Donald Trump’s pressure on Panama to spurn Chinese influence and control of the Panama Canal.

Panama had reached very strongly to Trump’s claims that the US could seize the Panama Canal, which it built, but gave to Panama during the Carter administration. It is possible that Donald Trump used this strong language to get Panama to turn away from China and towards the United States.

While this is a positive step towards Panama moving away from China, nothing official has been signed yet. Nothing is official, and there is always a possible twist. But for now, these are encouraging developments.