- — If the 21st century, like the 20th century, is to be the American century and the golden age of America, this strategical object cannot be controlled by China, whether de facto or de jure," said Claver-Carone
- Similarly, Rubio himself spoke of the Panama Canal case on Thursday. “In fact, if China wanted to block the traffic in the Panama Canal, they could do so. That's a fact. And in my opinion, this is simply a violation of the treaty agreement," he said
- Rubio, however, claimed that Donald Trump was not about gaining territory, but about dealing with US national interests. erstwhile asked if the Panama Canal and Greenland would belong to the United States in 4 years' time, he replied: “We will see”
- More crucial information can be found on the Onetu homepage
When asked during the online briefing about what Rubio would ask the Panamanian authorities, the diplomat stated that the Secretary of State would address all the channel issues in the assessment of America and would pay attention to how crucial this facility is to the US.
— If the 21st century, like the 20th century, is to be the American century and the golden age of America, This strategical facility cannot be controlled by Chinawhether it is de facto or de jure," he said. According to Washington, the channel is under Chinese control due to the existence of ports owned by Hutchison on both sides of the channel, as well as a number of another infrastructure projects of the PRC in Panama.
Trump's fight for Panama. ‘This will concern the talks’
Among the problems he besides cited was the bad — in his opinion — management of the canal by Panama, requests for U.S. aid in consequence to the low water level caused by drought, as well as fees charged to American ships. “These problems must be addressed, and that will be the case,” he said. However, he noted that the country's erstwhile president, Juan Carlos Varela, was liable for the increase in the influence of the PRC and that the current president Jose Raul Mulino “must deal with this problem”.
Similarly, on the Panama Canal case, in a Thursday interview with right-wing writer Megyn Kelly, Rubio himself spoke, claiming, following president Donald Trump, that China actually controls the crossing and that they would be able to block it in the event of a crisis.
— In fact, if China wanted to block the traffic in the Panama Canal, they could. That's a fact. And in my opinion, this is simply a violation of the treaty agreement, and that is what president Trump is talking about, and we will deal with it," Rubio said. He added that “of course the Panamans are not large fans” of Trump's request that America take control of the channel again.
Trump's man says you can be sure
However, Rubio claimed that both in terms of the Panama Canal and Greenland claims, Trump's not about taking territory., but to deal with the U.S. national interests. erstwhile asked if the 2 territories would belong to the United States in 4 years' time, he said, “We will see.”
— I think you can be certain that in 4 years' time our interests in the Arctic will be safer, our interests in the Panama Canal will be safer, our partnerships in the Western hemisphere will be stronger – they will be stronger," he added.
As she stressed during Friday's Claver-Carone briefing, Rubio is the first Secretary of State to go to Latin America in over 100 years. “This shows how much president Trump has focused on this region and how advanced he has given precedence to it, and how he is directed by our Secretary of State, the first Latin-American Secretary of State to know this region like nobody else,” he said.
Alongside the case of the Panama Canal and the displacement of Chinese influences in the region, the main subject of visits to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic will be the issue of cooperation to halt migration north.
