The United States on Thursday underscored its maritime security partnership with Panama, as a high-stakes dispute involving China, US investors and a Hong Kong conglomerate continues to cloud the future ownership of key ports at the Panama Canal.
US Ambassador Kevin Cabrera boarded the US Coast Guard cutter Alert during a port visit in Panama City, praising joint operations ranging from counter-narcotics missions to search-and-rescue efforts carried out with Panama’s Ministry of Public Security.
In a post on social media, Cabrera said the cooperation reflects Washington’s commitment, under US President Donald Trump’s leadership, to working with regional partners to promote security and prosperity across the hemisphere.
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The visit comes as negotiations over the sale of two strategically important Panama Canal ports have reached an impasse, highlighting growing geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing over control of critical infrastructure.
The ports, located at Balboa on the Pacific side and Cristobal on the Atlantic, are owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, which has been seeking to sell more than 40 port assets worldwide in a transaction that could generate more than US$19 billion in cash.
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A consortium led by BlackRock, through its Global Infrastructure Partners unit, and Mediterranean Shipping Co reached a preliminary agreement earlier this year to acquire the portfolio. Talks, however, have dragged on for months amid disagreements over the structure of the buyer group and the role of China’s state-owned shipping company, China Cosco Shipping Corp.