Tabita Rosendal, PhD Candidate at the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, was interviewed by France 24 on January 22, 2025, about President Trump's claims that China controls the Panama Canal. In the interview, Tabita explains that China has no direct influence over the canal: It is administered by the Panamanian government through the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). The Hong Kong-listed CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd., which has operated the Port of Balboa and the Port of Cristobal at either side of the canal since 1997, along with the Hong Kong-listed Landbridge Group (headquartered in Shandong Province) that has operated the Port on Margarita Island since 2016, exert no control over the ships passing through or the rates that they must pay.
Still, Tabita highlighted the risk that China may use the 2020 National Security Law to gather intelligence about shipping patterns and other sensitive data from these companies, highlighting difficult questions relating to dual-use technology. Like many countries in Latin America and other regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the Panamanian authorities face tough choices in the coming years. On the one hand, there is pressure from the U.S. to limit China’s presence, and there is a potential threat of military intervention and political subservience if they fail in this endeavor. Conversely, China’s engagements in the country have increased, especially through infrastructure projects, and the Chinese Communist Party has sought to cement its political and economic influence.
As such, Tabita concludes that while President Trump’s “Panama debacle” may be exaggerated to appease a domestic audience rooting for a “strongman President,” at its core, it reflects concerns that U.S. administrations have had for decades about China’s growing international clout. Simultaneously, the debate speaks to broader, complex questions increasingly being discussed in the EU framework, such as: How do we determine which companies and countries (including China) get to invest in our critical infrastructure? How do we balance economic growth and national security, including protecting critical sectors such as supply chains?
You can read the full article (in French) here on France24.com
Tabita Rosendal was interviewed about China's involvement in the Panama Canal

President Trump says China is operating the Panama Canal. But is that the case?