Secretary of State Marco Rubio has scored a big win for President Trump on his trip to Panama.
In a meeting with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha on Sunday, Rubio outlined America’s position on the Panama Canal.
According to a State Department summary of their discussion, Rubio informed them that Trump had “made a preliminary determination that the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal.”
Rubio added that China’s presence across the canal represents a breach of a a treaty signed by the U.S. and Panama in 1977 that it would remain neutral.
“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,” spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
I met with Panamanian President @JoseRaulMulino and Foreign Minister @javierachapma to make clear that the United States cannot, and will not, allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue with its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area. We also discussed… pic.twitter.com/Hj0pXGahqk
— Secretary Marco