[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 31 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 31
Calling on the Government of Panama to expel officials and interests of
the People's Republic of China and terminate Chinese management of key
Panamanian ports.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 23, 2025
Mr. Schmitt (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Britt, Mrs.
Blackburn, and Mr. Ricketts) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
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RESOLUTION
Calling on the Government of Panama to expel officials and interests of
the People's Republic of China and terminate Chinese management of key
Panamanian ports.
Whereas the strategic location of the Panama Canal is vital to global trade and
the security of the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas Panamanians and Americans have invested significantly to secure the
sovereignty, stability, and prosperity of Panama, including the
construction, defense, and transfer of the Panama Canal, ensuring it
remains a critical asset for global commerce;
Whereas the construction of the Panama Canal by the United States required more
than a decade of work (1904-1914), involved tens of thousands of
workers, and cost approximately $375,000,000, equivalent to more than
$10,000,000,000 in 2025, with thousands of workers losing their lives
due to disease and hazardous conditions;
Whereas the defense and operation of the Panama Canal during the 20th century
further demonstrated the United States' commitment, at significant
financial and human cost, to maintaining the vital global trade route;
Whereas the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the
Panama Canal, signed at Washington September 7, 1977 (commonly referred
to as the ``Neutrality Treaty''), prohibits actions that undermine the
canal's neutrality or threaten United States security interests and
grants the United States the right to act, unilaterally if necessary, to
defend the canal's neutrality and ensure its operational security;
Whereas the Neutrality Treaty obligates Panama and the United States to act
against any threat to the neutrality or peaceful operation of the Panama
Canal, including undue foreign control over its infrastructure or
management;
Whereas when President Carter ratified the Neutrality Treaty, President Carter
accepted a legally binding condition to the Treaty, adopted by the
United States Senate, establishing an independent right of the United
States to intervene militarily, consistent with United States
constitutional processes, to reopen or restore the operations of the
Panama Canal, as the United States deems necessary, to ensure the canal
remains open, neutral, secure, and accessible;
Whereas the People's Republic of China, through state-owned enterprises and
Chinese government-affiliated private entities, has expanded its
influence with key infrastructure projects and ports around the world,
including in Panama, raising concerns about undue leverage and potential
threats to free and fair navigation and trade;
Whereas the People's Republic of China Belt and Road Initiative fosters economic
dependence and exerts outsized geopolitical influence through its
investments;
Whereas Panama joined the Belt and Road Initiative in December 2018;
Whereas the involvement of Chinese government-affiliated enterprises in the
construction, management, and maintenance of other critical
infrastructure, such as a proposed fourth bridge spanning the Panama
Canal, calls into question the ability of Panama and the United States
to defend the canal's neutrality and ensure its operational security;
Whereas two major ports in Panama, the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, are
currently managed by Chinese-affiliated entities, such as Hutchison
Ports, a Hong Kong-based operator with significant ties to China's
economic and political ecosystem, threatening the sovereignty of Panama
and the security of the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas the involvement of officials from the People's Republic of China and
entities that are subject to the National Security Law of the People's
Republic of China and similar laws in Panamanian ports and
infrastructure compromises international security and disrupts critical
trade routes;
Whereas the People's Republic of China's control over portions of the
infrastructure of the Panama Canal poses a direct threat to the national
security and strategic interests of the United States;
Whereas allowing foreign exploitation of Panama's ports and infrastructure
undermines the sacrifices made to secure Panama's independence and the
shared values between Panama and the United States; and
Whereas the United States and Panama have a long history of partnership and
shared commitment to democratic governance, sovereignty, and the rule of
law: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) expresses profound concern about the presence and
influence of the People's Republic of China in Panamanian ports
and infrastructure, particularly in facilities of strategic
significance such as the ports of Balboa and Cristobal;
(2) calls upon the Government of Panama to--
(A) reaffirm its commitment to the ``permanent
neutrality'' of the Panama Canal as defined by the
Neutrality Treaty by seeking management structures that
ensure unbiased, equitable access for vessels of all
nations;
(B) review and terminate agreements allowing
Chinese state-owned enterprises or China-based so-
called private entities to manage strategic
infrastructure, including the ports of Balboa and
Cristobal;
(C) expel all officials from the People's Republic
of China operating within Panamanian ports and other
critical infrastructure projects; and
(D) reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the
sovereignty of Panama and protecting the security of
the Western Hemisphere by seeking partnerships that
align with democratic values and mutual respect;
(3) urges the Government of the United States to--
(A) leverage provisions in the Neutrality Treaty,
including Condition (1), to monitor and address threats
to the neutrality of the Panama Canal, acting
decisively to counter undue foreign influence;
(B) provide technical, financial, and strategic
support to Panama as it seeks to assert sovereignty
over its critical infrastructure and reduce its
dependence on entities affiliated with the People's
Republic of China;
(C) strengthen collaboration with Panama and other
allies in the region to promote transparent and
sustainable investments in infrastructure projects;
(D) establish a framework to restore operational
control of the Panama Canal to a collaborative
partnership between the United States and Panama, which
should honor the spirit of the Neutrality Treaty,
respect Panama's sovereignty, and incorporate United
States expertise and resources to benefit both nations;
(E) offer significant United States investments to
modernize Panama's canal infrastructure and provide
alternatives to Chinese-funded projects; and
(F) develop a joint United States-Panama task force
to oversee canal security and operations, enhancing
regional security and ensuring freedom of navigation;
(4) encourages Panama and other regional and global allies
to monitor and counter efforts by authoritarian regimes to
exploit economic vulnerabilities to gain strategic leverage in
the Western Hemisphere; and
(5) directs that the Secretary of the Senate transmit a
copy of this resolution to the President of the United States,
the Secretary of State, the President of Panama, and the
National Assembly of Panama.
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