Panama encourages dialogue and bridge-building at UN as canal tensions with China simmer
South China Morning Post • • general
Key Points:
- Panama’s foreign minister, Javier Martinez-Acha, used a UN Security Council debate to advocate for dialogue and peaceful resolution amid escalating tensions with China over a canal dispute.
- Martinez-Acha emphasized that dialogue reflects trust in diplomacy and the human capacity to resolve conflicts peacefully, promoting “useful multilateralism” focused on conflict prevention and protecting lives.
- The debate was chaired by China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, who warned about threats to world peace and criticized disregard for the UN Charter, implicitly targeting the United States without direct mention.
- This exchange occurred during China’s rotating presidency of the Security Council, marking the worst bilateral crisis between Panama and China since establishing diplomatic relations in 2017.