China and the US clash at the UN over the Panama Canal. In the end who will come out on top, USA, Panama or China?

The United States and China clashed over the Panama Canal at the United Nations on Monday, with the U.S. warning that Beijing’s influence over the key waterway could threaten global trade and security and China calling U.S. accusations a pretext to take over the canal.

The U.S. built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Control of the waterway transferred to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter.

China has an outsized influence over the Panama Canal area, especially over critical infrastructure and port operations.

China’s expansive and unlawful maritime claims and aggressive actions demonstrate its threat to maritime security and commerce. The U.S. rejects these claims and supports countries opposing them.

China’s influence in the canal area is not just a risk to Panama and the United States, but rather a potential threat to global trade and security.