IT'S NOT CAN, IT'S WILL? TRUMP VERSUS THE PANAMA CANAL SEIZURE

"The United States acquired the rights to build and operate the Panama Canal during the first years of the 20th century. The Hay-Herrán Treaty, negotiated with the nation of Colombia in 1903, allowed the United States rights to the land surrounding the planned canal. The Colombian Senate refused to ratify the treaty, but Panama was in the process of seceding from Colombia. President Theodore Roosevelt therefore supported the cause of Panamanian independence with the Canal in mind. His support paid off, and on November 18, 1903, the United States signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, establishing permanent U.S. rights to a Panama Canal Zone that stretched across the isthmus." Office of the Historian

https://www.jus.uio.no/english/services/library/treaties/01/1-11/neutrality_panama_canal.html
excerpt from the Treaty of Neutrality

elevision Station TVN made an investigation that revealed that China Communications Construction and China Harbour Engineering were under investigation in a Southeast Asian country (presumably Malaysia) over corruption charges related with Malaysia's former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, who is also under investigation over corruption charges related to Chinese investments in Malaysia, something which Mahathir has been very critical. The Panama–David railway will be built by China, having a maximum speed of 160 km/h (the original plan called for 300 km/h), with a length of over 400 km and a cost of over 5 billion dollars, 85% of which will be paid with a loan from a Chinese state-owned bank. It will be part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the New Silk Road. Panama's vice president Isabel Saint Malo showed confidence in the railway, saying that "I believe Panama has the ability to pay off its debt." (Even though Panama has over US$20 billion in debt and presumably none of it has been paid in the last few years). TVN