PANAMA CITY, March 20, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Panama's president denied Thursday that officials failed to respond to an arbitrage lawsuit by the Hong Kong firm opposing the takeover of its Panama Canal operations, saying the government would "strongly" defend itself. The dispute stems from a Panama court ruling in January striking down the contract that let Panama Ports Company (PPC), a unit of CK Hutchison, to manage the canal's Pacific port of Balboa and the Atlantic port at Cristobal. This week the company accused Panama officials of ignoring the arbitration proceedings, saying the country had not hired lawyers and "needed time to develop a plan." China had threatened Panama with payback after the court's decision in January, and CK Hutchison said this month it had intensified its legal actions over the takeover of the two Panama Canal ports it controlled. Panama has always denied any Chinese control over the 80-kilometer (50-mile) waterway, which is used mainly by the United States and China.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 20, 2026 10:46 UTC