China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships in response to a Supreme Court ruling that annulled contracts allowing a Hong Kong-based company to manage key terminals in the Panama Canal. Following the ruling, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States expressed support for Panama and criticized China’s economic retaliation. US officials noted that these detentions exceed historical norms and may threaten regional maritime trade and sovereignty.
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