Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave Panama President José Raúl Mulino an ultimatum today over China’s growing influence over the Panama Canal in a face-to-face meeting.
According to State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio informed Mulino that President Donald Trump has made a preliminary determination that the Chinese Communist Party’s “position of influence and control” over the Panama Canal is a violation of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal.
“Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty,” the statement said.
The meeting comes as Trump has pressured Panama to reduce the influence of Chinese companies over the canal, which is vital to global trade. Trump argued…
