The Government of Costa Rica expresses its deep concern and the strongest condemnation for the commercial measures imposed by the People's Republic of China on Panamanian vessels, indicated the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry on its social networks. According to the statement, "delays and arbitrary and unjustified inspections" are occurring in Chinese ports on Panamanian-flagged ships, which "puts world trade at risk." The Panamanian Government has recognized an increase in the detention of Panamanian-flagged ships in Chinese ports, a situation that is taking place at a time of bilateral tension due to the exit of a Chinese company from the operation of two ports located near the Canal, a judicial measure that came after pressures from the U.S. The Government of Costa Rica expressed this Saturday its condemnation of the measures imposed by China on Panamanian vessels that translate into "arbitrary and unjustified" inspections, within the framework of growing commercial tension between these countries over the navigable passage and years of internal complaints against the contract. These detentions do not necessarily imply the confiscation of the vessels or their cargo, but rather delays in departures, or additional inspections, by Chinese port authorities. The Government of Costa Rica expressed this Saturday "the unrestricted respect for international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" and manifested its "unconditional support and solidarity with the brotherly people and Government of the Republic of Panama." There is a regional core of countries that have expressed their support for Panama after the detention of its ships in China, among them Peru, which advocates for the "strengthening of a safe, efficient, and rule-based maritime transport system, in line with the standards of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)." Likewise, Paraguay qualified these actions as "harmful and unjustified" and that they put "world trade at risk." Honduras also expressed this week through its Foreign Ministry its support and solidarity "as a brother country and regional partner of Panama," and considered it "essential" that any action in the international arena "be exercised with strict compliance with international law, avoiding undue impacts on lawful maritime transit and the stability of global supply chains." According to a report from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in January 2025 the world fleet consisted of 112,500 vessels with a deadweight tonnage of 2,440 million tons. Greece, China, and Japan control more than 40% of the capacity, while almost 50% is registered under the flags of just three states: Liberia (17.4%), Panama (15.2%), and the Marshall Islands (12.5%).
