*US senators have expressed concerns regarding China’s influence on the Panama Canal which handles about 5% of global maritime trade and through which 75% of traffic either originates or is bound to the US according to the World Shipping Council, a non-profit global trade association. The concerns, which came from Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), among others, were raised before a US senate committee on commerce, science and transportation regarding the Panama Canal and its impact on US trade and national security. The hearing comes as US President Donald Trump has threatened to reclaim the Panama Canal, citing Chinese influence and high costs for transit – claims which the Panamanian government (and other members of the foreign community) have rejected. Speaking yesterday, Cruz said “China has exploited Panama’s institutional weakness to evade US sanctions and impose unfair charges on US commerce and Naval ships”. He said “Chinese companies are building a bridge across the canal – at a slow pace so as to take nearly a decade – and control container ports at either end. The partially completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning, and the ports give China ready observation posts to time that action. This situation poses acute risks to US national security.” Meanwhile Cantwell expressed concern about the “Chinese-owned ports in Panama and their proximity to the Canal”. She also expressed concern about “the installation of Chinese equipment from Huawei and other Chinese companies near the Canal”. Reiterating the need for “continued US-Panama cooperation to increase investments in port infrastructure and cybersecurity measures”, Cantwell said she would request defence officials to brief committee members on foreign threats to the Panama Canal and plans to lead a delegation to visit the Canal’s operations.