What Biden should do to stop China from controlling Panama Canal

Panama maintains absolute control of the Panama Canal, but Chinese companies have been increasingly involved. Here are some steps the U.S. can take.

Daniel P. Runde is a Senior Vice President at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

Recently, Panama joined forces with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador to form the Alliance for Development in Democracy. In essence, this partnership signals to others, including the United States, that these alliance partners are countries open to foreign investment.

Panama, along with the rest of the alliance members, is a great nearshoring candidate. The Panamanian Ministry of Trade and Industry published a report on the advantages that Panama has for nearshoring. Many of the opportunities include Panama’s increasing logistic and manufacturing abilities, its function as a hub, legal stability, and environmentally friendly practices.