This is CBS. I am the world. I'm John Batser, continuing with my colleague, Professor Evan Ellis of the U.S. Army War College, Panama. The Panama Canal, vital to the American economic interest and national security. Why? Because in the event of a catastrophe in the Pacific,

the Indo-Pacific, the part of the world is dominated by oceans and China. The Panama Canal is the way

to rush supplies to Japan, to the Philippines, to Taiwan. anything that is needed out there has to go through

the canal leaving the East Coast factories. Everything is not ready at San Diego. In addition,

the economy of the United States, it is the number one user of the Panama Canal. Therefore,

it has been a grave concern for some time by the Trump administration

and other voices to learn that the People's Republic of Chinese Communist Party has some say

in the Panama Canal prosperity on the basis of a privately owned port on either end of the 82

kilometer canal owned by a billionaire who lives in Hong Kong, but we have reason to believe

he is influenced under the umbrella of concerned about the opinion of the Chinese Communist Party.

A recent conversation between the billionaire and his representatives

and the largest equity firm in the solar system, BlackRock,

led to the purchase of those two ports on either side

and a worldwide network of ports until Beijing, the Chinese Communist Party, stepped in and said,

we don't like this, and the deal did not go through as expected previously several weeks ago. Here we are, except there have been

major visits by members of the Trump administration. First, the first overseas visit was by the

Secretary of State, Mr. Rubio, meeting with President Molino. Then, the Secretary of Defense,. Heggseth, there may be more in future.

What is clear is that there is unhappiness about that Chinese Communist Party influence.

I do the best to bring us up to date.

The visit by Secretary Hegsseth, did it move the story in any fashion?

Are there plans to redeploy to the fort that guards the Panama Canal?

Are there plans to stage exercises in Panama in near future?

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