Panama and China Renew Maritime Treaty as China’s Latin America Presence Declines

China’s commercial and strategic foothold in Latin America is shrinking. In the past months Beijing has lost control of major ports in Panama and Peru, seen its undersea cable project in Chile stall, and faced setbacks in Mexico and other nations that are aligning more closely with the United States.

Amid this broader shift, Panama and China concluded negotiations in Beijing, reaching a consensus to renew their maritime transport agreement. Both delegations said they will move quickly to complete the formal steps needed to restore the treaty, which governs shipping and related services between the two countries.