Marco Rubio warned China that hemispheric sovereignty is “non-negotiable” as Washington and regional allies challenged Beijing over reported Panama ship detentions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned China over reported detentions of Panama-flagged ships, saying the United States and regional partners would not accept pressure on maritime trade tied to the Panama Canal.
Rubio said “the sovereignty of our hemisphere is non-negotiable” after the U.S. joined Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago in accusing Beijing of targeting Panama-flagged vessels. The joint statement described China’s actions as a “blatant attempt to politicize maritime trade” and framed the dispute as a challenge to regional sovereignty.
The confrontation centers on shipping detentions rather than a physical blockade, but it has raised concern because of the canal’s role in global commerce. The Panama Canal handles roughly 5% of global maritime trade, and the dispute follows a Panama Supreme Court decision earlier this year invalidating the legal framework behind Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison’s long-held control of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals at the canal’s Pacific and Atlantic ends.
U.S. regulators have monitored nearly 70 Panama-flagged vessels detained by Chinese authorities since March 8, Reuters reported in the source article. American officials contend the pattern appears intended to retaliate against Panama and pressure global shipping, though the publicly available details in the report do not identify each vessel or the status of all detentions.
China’s foreign ministry denied the accusation, calling the joint statement “entirely baseless and misleading,” according to Reuters. The ministry said Beijing would take steps to protect China’s interests in Panama and accused the United States of politicizing ports.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also urged the countries involved “not to be deceived or exploited by malevolent forces.” Fox News Digital reported that it sought comment from the Chinese Embassy in Washington but did not receive a response before publication.
The next sign of escalation will be whether the reported detentions continue and whether Panama, the United States or China announces any formal diplomatic or commercial measures tied to the canal ports dispute.
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