Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino dismissed claims by President-elect Donald Trump of higher fees charged to U.S. ships to use the Panama Canal and scoffed at threats to take over the vital waterway because of Chinese interference.
“The tolls are not set at the whim of the presidents [of Panama] and the administrator of the [canal]. They are set in a public and open process in which clients and other actors participate,” Mulino said at a Thursday news conference.
He added, “There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal, for the love of God. It’s nonsense. There are no Chinese at the canal, no Chinese nor any other world power at the canal.”