Overview
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke Thursday, called China’s hold‑ups of Panama‑flagged ships bullying and said the U.S. will support Panama’s sovereignty.
- Tokyo MOU data show Chinese ports detained 124 vessels in March and 92 carried Panama’s flag, with most held for one to ten days before release.
- China rejects the U.S. charge as groundless and argues Washington seeks control over the Panama Canal, while Panama’s foreign minister describes the checks as routine industry practice.
- China’s transport ministry summoned Maersk and MSC after they were tapped as temporary terminal operators, and state‑owned Cosco halted calls at Balboa and shifted cargo to Mexico’s Lázaro Cárdenas and Colombia’s Buenaventura.
- The detentions followed Panama’s Supreme Court voiding CK Hutchison’s port concession, which led to an arbitration claim of more than $2 billion and interim operations by APM Terminals and an MSC affiliate, raising risk for a registry that funds Panama through ship fees.