119-sres31

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 31 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

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

_______________________________________________________________________

 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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