Business
Panama’s president calls Trump’s Chinese canal claim ‘nonsense’
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has denied claims by US president-elect Donald Trump that there are Chinese soldiers stationed at the Panama Canal.
In recent days Trump has threatened to take the canal back into US control, accusing Panama of “ripping off” the US by charging high shipping rates.
In a message posted to his Truth Social account on Wednesday, Trump wrote: “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal”.
Mulino called the claim “nonsense” and said that there is “absolutely no Chinese interference”.