‘Straight national security issue’
Fairfax, Va. – Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the international shipping crisis caused by the giant container ship that blocks the Suez Canal:
“World commerce goes through a few very narrow choke points which are extremely vulnerable. The tanker ship blocking the Suez Canal is estimated to have cost the world’s economy almost $9 billion a day. What’s more, Moody’s reports that 15% of the world’s container ship traffic goes through that one very vulnerable chokepoint. But other man-made passageways are similarly vulnerable, 60% of the cargo which goes through the Panama Canal originates or is destined to reach the United States user according the FreightWaves.com. When combined with the importance of the Straits of Hormuz, a natural, narrow passageway which 25 percent of the world’s oil flows through every day, it is obvious that the economic well-being of most of the First World is dependent upon a few vulnerable passageways located in relatively unstable parts of the world.
“Given the United States’ dependence upon the Panama Canal for a significant amount of our trade, it is important that the Biden administration redouble efforts to thwart the Communist Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which is currently investing heavily in Panama with an eye toward gaining dangerous influence over this pivotal central American country. There is nothing partisan about whether military or cargo ships can get through the American built Canal, it is a straight national security issue, and this is an area where a strong commitment of the Biden administration countering the Chinese entre’ to Panama should be met with support from both sides of the aisle.”
For media availability contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org.