President Donald Trump’s promise to take back control of the Panama Canal has put a spotlight on the expanding relationship between China and the Central American nation.
Security analysts say U.S. officials are right to be concerned about Panama’s deepening strategic partnership with China. This partnership has been fueled by a years-long lack of U.S. investment in key sectors of the Latin American country.
Beijing hasn’t been shy about making moves to further its economic and political interests in the Americas.
The Asian nation has been successful in creating a web of influence through large-scale infrastructure projects and “debt trap” loans to countries that allow China to gain influence over local governments that end up in default….