Kako kitajska komunistična partija (ne) kontrolira Panamski prekop

Ameriški predsednik Donald Trump zatrjuje, da bodo ZDA (ponovno) prevzele Panamski prekop (ponovno po letu 1977), ker naj bi ga zdaj kontrolirala kitajska komunistična partija. No, Wikipedija sicer pravi, da s prekopom upravlja vladna Panamska uprava kanala.

France began work on the canal in 1881, but stopped in 1889 because of a lack of investors’ confidence due to engineering problems and a high worker mortality rate. The US took over the project in 1904 and opened the canal in 1914. The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until the Torrijos–Carter Treaties provided for its handover to Panama in 1977. After a period of joint American–Panamanian control, the Panamanian government took control in 1999. It is now managed and operated by the Panamanian government-owned Panama Canal Authority.

Vendar koga zanimajo dejstva? Kaj pa če kitajska komunistična partija kontrolira Panamski prekop prek kitajskih logističnih podjetij, ki imajo to moč, da lahko prek zavrnitve zagotavljanja logističnih storitev zaprejo prekop za logiste “Kitajski nenaklonjenih držav”? Spodnja nit kaže, da je zelo malo verjetnosti za to razlago.

Zakaj bi torej Trump rad (ponovno) prevzel kontrolo nad Panamskim prekopom? Kaj pa če je ameriški interes, da kitajskim podjetjem otežijo oziroma podražijo transport do južnoameriških trgov? No, tudi če je to namen, prihaja ta poteza prepozno. Kitajska je namreč lani novembra prek 1.3-milijarde dolarjev vložka v gradnjo odprla novo pristanišče v Peruju (Port of Chancay), vredno 3.6 milijarde dolarjev, s katerim si je (ob izgradnji bodoče železniške povezave) zagotovila dostop do brazilskega trga (Kitajska je velik uvoznik brazilskih žitaric).

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This is the port terminal on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal which is allegedly contolled by PRC through a Hong Kong based company. This terminal and another one located on the Caribbean entrance of the canal has been operated by Hutchinson Whampoa or its subsidiary, …Panama Ports. Here is the one in Cristobal, also operated by Panama Ports under a concession awarded in 1997.

Ships entering the terminal need to use the access chanels to the Panama Canal on either side. It is the Panama Canal Authorithy which grants permmisions and coordinates the ships movements. Panama Canal Pilots are assigned to dock/undock/navigate every single ship that uses the terminals.

In my over 30 years working here I have not seen a “chinese soldier” or a soldier from any other country in or around the terminals.

Every single person working at the terminals is Panamanian. It is beyond absurd to even insinuate that China is in any way controling the Panama Canal or the port terminals at either end. They need to stop spreading such misleading ideas.