China Power

Trump’s Panama Gambit and the China Paradox 

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China Power | Diplomacy | East Asia

Trump’s Panama Gambit and the China Paradox 

Trump’s upcoming moves against Panama may well end up increasing China’s influence in the country. 

Trump’s Panama Gambit and the China Paradox 
Credit: ID 182294209 © Liskonogaleksey | Dreamstime.com

For the past month, both before and after taking the oath of office on January 20,  U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened the territorial integrity of Panama. More recently, during his inaugural address, he openly pledged to take back the Panama Canal. In doing so, he has falsely claimed that China “operates” the canal and that Panama is, therefore, in breach of the canal’s neutrality regime. 

Such threats certainly mean the dawn of a new era in international politics, devolving inter-state relations to a “might makes right” age. In such a scenario, Panama could face the same fate as the Melians at the hands of the Athenians, as summed up in ancient Greek historian Thucydides’ famous axiom, with the strong (the United States) doing what they can and the weak (Panama) suffering what they must. 

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