US Military Trains To Defend Panama Canal From China Threat
Published Jul 17, 2025 at 3:21 AM EDT
By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
The United States has trained for the defense of the Panama Canal during a joint exercise with the Central American country amid concerns over China's growing presence in the region.
The exercise, code-named PANAMAX-Alpha Phase I and scheduled from July 13 to 18, was designed to "reinforce preparation for threats to the security of the Panama Canal and other strategic infrastructure," according to the National Aeronaval Service of Panama.
Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth previously warned of China's expanding military and economic presence and influence in the Western Hemisphere—a region long viewed as the U.S.'s backyard, which includes Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
The Pentagon chief's warning follows U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that China "operates" the Panama Canal, a waterway vital to global trade. The canal, which the U.S. built, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and has been under Panama's control since 1999.
Facing pressure from the Trump administration, Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison agreed in March to sell its stake in Panama's ports at the canal's Pacific and Atlantic entrances to an American-led consortium. Trump later declared victory over the $23 billion acquisition.
https://www.newsweek.com/us-military-panama-canal-security-china-threat-western-hemisphere-2100052
