Tea at Trianon: Corruption, Compromise, and China's Grip on the Panama Canal

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Corruption, Compromise, and China's Grip on the Panama Canal

From Amuse on X:

In the ongoing geopolitical chess game between major powers, small nations often fall victim to coercive diplomacy and financial manipulation. Panama, historically crucial due to its canal—one of the world’s most strategic maritime passages—now finds itself ensnared by China's aggressive expansionism. Through targeted financial incentives—commonly recognized in the U.S. as outright bribes—Chinese entities effectively compromised Panamanian officials, securing control over both strategic entries of the Panama Canal. This arrangement, clearly orchestrated to advance Chinese Communist Party (CCP) strategic ambitions, not only flagrantly breaches Panama's constitutional obligations but also violates its longstanding treaty commitments with the United States.
A careful review of the agreement that transferred control of the ports and canal to China supports Attorney General Luis Carlos Gómez's findings. In 1997, CK Hutchison Holdings, a major Hong Kong conglomerate closely linked to China's Communist Party, secured a concession to control the crucial ports at Balboa and Cristobal. Though presented publicly as a commercial agreement, the ports' infrastructure was improved to support dual-use operations, facilitating both civilian and military vessels. The concession thus poses serious national security risks, far surpassing simple economic concerns and directly involving the strategic interests of multiple global powers.
Notably, when the concession approached its expiration, Panamanian officials curiously declined to invite competing bids. In a market-driven world, particularly in the strategically sensitive sector of maritime infrastructure, competitive bidding should be standard practice—indeed, it is mandated by Panamanian law. Instead, Hutchison received an automatic renewal for another twenty-five years in 2021. This unilateral decision, bereft of additional compensation or negotiation, starkly demonstrates Panama’s negligent abandonment of its economic interests and raises grave concerns about potential corruption. (Read more.)