Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and amid concerns raised by President Donald Trump, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino announced the decision to terminate a key development deal with China. The deal, part of China's Belt and Road global development initiative, will not be renewed, signaling a shift towards closer collaboration with the United States.
Mulino emphasized that Panama's sovereignty over the Panama Canal, a vital waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, remains intact. The move comes in response to allegations that China has been exerting control over the canal, with Trump expressing concerns over the situation.
