Top U.S. diplomat’s first overseas trip reflects a desire to counter Chinese influence in Latin America.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicked off his trip to Latin America by meeting with Panamanian leaders, pressing them to urgently address China’s influence over the region.
The top U.S. diplomat shared his national security concerns with Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino and Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha in a Panama City meeting on Sunday.
Rubio told them that President Donald Trump has determined that “the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal,” according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Rubio called the status quo “unacceptable” and said the United States will “take measures necessary” unless there are “immediate changes,” according to Bruce.
The talks marked Rubio’s first overseas trip since assuming the post less than two weeks ago. The trip, which includes stops in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, also marks the first time in a century that a U.S. Secretary of State makes Latin America their first official destination, reflecting a U.S. desire to counter rising Chinese diplomatic encroachment in the region.
By Eva Fu
