Panama's president vowed Sunday to end a key development deal with China after meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and after complaints from President Donald Trump that the Latin American country had ceded control over its critical shipping canal to Beijing, Fox News reports.
José Raúl Mulino, Panama's president, said his nation's sovereignty over the 51-mile waterway, which connects the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, will remain unchanged. But he said he would not renew a 2017 memorandum of understanding to join China’s Belt and Road global development initiative and that Panama would instead look to work more closely with the U.S.
"I think this visit opens the door to build new relations … and try to increase as much as possible U.S. investments in Panama," Mulino told reporters after meeting with Rubio on his first international trip since being confirmed.
"I think this visit opens the door to build new relations … and try to increase as much as possible U.S. investments in Panama," Mulino told reporters after meeting with Rubio on his first international trip since being confirmed.
Rubio, who was a senator representing Florida before Trump tapped him to be America's top diplomat, said his team is ready to push the U.S. agenda.
