Geopolitics of the Panama Canal: Flashpoint in the U.S.–China Rivalry for Control of Global Trade Routes

Geopolitics of the Panama Canal: Flashpoint in the U.S.–China Rivalry for Control of Global Trade Routes

The Panama Canal alone handles around 5% of global maritime trade annually, highlighting its strategic and economic significance for both Panama and the world. For Washington, the canal remains vital, about 75% of its commercial traffic involves U.S. ports, and nearly 40% of all American container shipments, including energy exports to Asia, pass through it annually. President José Raúl Mulino has unequivocally rejected Trump’s statements, stati…