US hails Panama high court ruling against CK Hutchison’s ports concession

Name: Panama President Mulino rejects US claims of Chinese influence in Panama Canal
Uploaded: 2026-01-30T21:06:42.000Z
Duration: 1 min 37 s
Description: Panama President Mulino rejects US claims of Chinese influence in Panama Canal

Secretary of State Rubio said the decision was encouraging, as it drew support on Capitol Hill and unease among Chinese-linked firms

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The Panama Canal, where CK Hutchison Holdings’ contract was struck down, will operate as normal during the transition. Photo: Getty Images

Khushboo Razdanin WashingtonandIgor Patrickin Rio de Janeiro

Published: 5:06am, 31 Jan 2026Updated: 5:31am, 31 Jan 2026

Washington on Friday welcomed a Panamanian court ruling cancelling a contract held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings to operate two ports along the Panama Canal, a decision seen as a boost to the United States’ efforts to counter Chinese influence in the western hemisphere.

The reaction came as Panama’s government sought to reassure workers and investors on the ground that trade and jobs would not be affected.

“The United States is encouraged by the recent Panamanian Supreme Court’s decision to rule port concessions to China unconstitutional,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a social media post.

Rubio, a former lawmaker and a key adviser to US President Donald Trump on western hemisphere policy, has repeatedly warned that if a company answerable to the Communist Party were to control ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, it could effectively shut down the waterway during a conflict.

During his Senate confirmation hearing in 2025, he described such a scenario as a “direct threat” to US interests, warning that Beijing could use the facilities as strategic “choke points”.

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Panama President Mulino rejects US claims of Chinese influence in Panama Canal

Rubio’s remarks on Friday were echoed by Republican lawmakers, who framed the ruling as a strategic win for Washington.

US hails Panama high court ruling against CK Hutchison’s ports concession

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Secretary of State Rubio said the decision was encouraging, as it drew support on Capitol Hill and unease among Chinese-linked firms

Secretary of State Rubio said the decision was encouraging, as it drew support on Capitol Hill and unease among Chinese-linked firms