Panamanian president calls Trump’s Chinese language channel declare ‘nonsense’

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has denied US President-elect Donald Trump’s claims that Chinese language troopers are stationed within the Panama Canal.

In latest days, Trump has threatened to return the canal to U.S. management, accusing Panama of “ripping off” america by charging excessive transport charges.

In a message posted Wednesday to his Reality Social account, Trump wrote: “Merry Christmas to everybody, together with the fantastic Chinese language troopers who lovingly, however illegally, function the Panama Canal.”

Mulino referred to as the declare “nonsense” and mentioned there was “completely no Chinese language interference.”

“There’s not a single Chinese language soldier within the canal,” he informed reporters in Panama Metropolis.

Mulino additionally rejected the potential for lowering tolls for U.S. ships or ceding management of the canal, a significant transport channel that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

“The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians. There is no such thing as a chance of opening any dialog round this actuality,” he mentioned.

After severing ties with Taiwan, Panama established diplomatic relations with China in 2017, and Mulino mentioned relations between the 2 international locations had been “respectful, well-managed… when it comes to what’s within the pursuits of the 2 international locations.

His feedback got here a day after Trump introduced he would nominate a Florida lawmaker to be ambassador to Panama.

Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Republican commissioner in Miami-Dade County, labored for the 2020 Trump marketing campaign and was Florida’s consultant on the Republican Nationwide Committee this 12 months.

Saying his selection in a Christmas Day message on his Reality Social community, Trump mentioned Cabrera “will do a incredible job representing our nation’s pursuits in Panama!”

The president-elect additionally reiterated his claims that Panama is “ripping us off.”

On Sunday, Trump told a crowd of conservative activists: “The charges charged by Panama are ridiculous, very unfair.”

If transport charges are usually not decreased, Trump mentioned, “we are going to demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us in full, rapidly and with out query.”

Trump additionally mentioned he did not need the Panama Canal to “fall into the flawed palms” and particularly cited China.

China is the second-largest person of the Panama Canal after america, information exhibits, and can also be making main investments within the Central American nation.

On Christmas Day, Trump issued dozens of messages defending his insurance policies and appointments, and repeated ideas that america annex Greenland and Canada.

It is unclear how significantly Trump takes the territorial measures or how they are going to be carried out.

As much as 14,000 ships go by way of the 82 km canal every year, together with container ships carrying vehicles, pure fuel and different items, in addition to army ships.

The canal was constructed within the early 1900s. America maintained management over the canal zone till 1977, when treaties step by step ceded the land to Panama. After a interval of joint management, Panama took sole management in 1999.

Transit prices on the canal have elevated over the previous 12 months on account of a historic drought, in response to transport trade web site Lloyd’s Listing.

A Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchison Holdings, manages two ports on the entrances to the canal.