Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on the Panama Canal risks setting a dangerous precedent. It could offer China a blueprint to justify its territorial ambitions. Critics say Trump’s stance could embolden Beijing’s expansionism in Taiwan and the South China Sea, and undermine decades of American preaching of military restraint to China.
As Donald Trump took the oath of office as the 47th President of the United States, his inaugural speech had a distinct mention of China. Despite reports of phone calls and behind-the-scenes discussions between Trump’s administration and Beijing, the President made it clear that China was squarely in his crosshairs. The Panama Canal, which Trump claimed was under “Chinese control”, became a tool for his claim on the 82-kilometre-long waterway. Trump said the US had “foolishly” given the Panama Canal to Panama.
