US Signs Deal With Panama to Secure Canal, Deter China’s ‘Malign Influence’

China has been accused of taking control of critical infrastructure in the canal area.

Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino looks on as U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R) signs a bilateral agreement, in Panama City on April 9, 2025. Franco Brana/AFP via Getty Images

The United States is partnering with Panama as part of efforts to secure the Panama Canal and counter the Chinese Communist Party’s “malign influence” in the region, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on April 9.

“The Panama Canal is key terrain that must be secured by Panama, with America and not China,” Hegseth said at a joint press conference with Panamanian Public Security Minister Frank Abrego.