Why are there claims of a strong Chinese presence around the Panama Canal? Because there actually is. Two key ports at either end of the Panama Canal (Balboa and Cristóbal) are managed by Hutchison Ports PPC, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings. Since Hong Kong has been essentially digested back into mainland China over the last few years, this matters.
Also. The Fourth Bridge (such a clever name) over the Panama Canal, currently under construction, is being undertaken by a Chinese consortium, state-owned firms China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).
This cable-stayed bridge, spanning two-thirds of a mile, has six lanes for vehicular traffic, and is expected to be completed by August 2028 at a cost of $1.3 billion. They probably won’t encounter any of the 38,000 deaths suffered in building the canal.
While a fourth bridge does not replace the canal, it makes sense strategically for China to have a presence there indefinitely if they so choose. The choice between the canal and using Bridges breaks down this way:
Rail transport over bridge can carry a load of about 15,000 tons. A truck can carry about 40 tons. Using the dual lock systems, a transport ship can carry 150,000 tons, and 8 million tons per day through the 8 hour journey through the locks. That is the equivalent of 200,000 trucks per day across the bridge system, with a long journey remaining after crossing the canal. Rail and truck are better for time sensitive and regional deliveries, but rail is 8 times more expensive than cargo ship per ton-mile, and truck is 30 times more expensive than cargo ship per ton-mile.
The fourth bridge is not a replacement for the canal “by any stretch,” so they do in fact have other motives for being in Panama.
This involvement is another example of China’s growing influence and investment in worldwide as well as Panamanian infrastructure development, raising concerns about potential strategic military objectives.
By maintaining a presence in Panama, China gains opportunities for intelligence gathering, including surveillance of U.S. naval activities and sensitive information about canal operations. In a conflict scenario, this influence could be used to shut down US canal access.
The bridge project also serves as a foothold for China in Latin America, challenging U.S. dominance and potentially creating bases for future operations. While ostensibly civilian, the infrastructure could potentially be converted for military use under China’s military-civil fusion doctrine, aligning with their geopolitical strategy for global influence.
China’s involvement in the Panama Canal bridge provides potential opportunity for disruption via cyber attacks or physical sabotage, and allows a challenge to U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere.
Maybe the US should build some bridges around China. And send up weather balloons over mainland China. How do you like me now? 😎
