Why Panama Canal Sparked War of Words Between China and the Americas

China has touched sensitivities in Latin America after ramping up detentions of Panamanian ships in what is widely viewed as retaliation over the seizure of two Panama ports previously leased to Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison.Five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean joined the United States on Tuesday in issuing a joint statement, saying they were monitoring "China’s targeted economic pressure and the recent actions that have affected Panama-flagged vessels.""These actions—following the decision of Panama’s independent Supreme Court regarding the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals—are a blatant attempt to politicize maritime trade and infringe on the sovereignty of the nations of our hemisphere," it said.Panama-flagged ships accounted for 91 of the 123 detained for inspections in March by China's state port controllers, according to Loadstar’s analysis of records released by 22 maritime authorities in the Asia-Pacific region. In February, China detained only 45 ships, of which 19 were Panamanian.Latin American SolidarityChina is the second-largest trading partner for Latin America, trailing only the United States, and the largest for South America. Beijing’s increasing clout has heightened competition in a region Washington has long considered its backyard. Though only a handful of countries—Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago—signed onto the