The U.S. military has joined forces with Panamanian police to launch a new round of joint exercises aimed at safeguarding the Panama Canal, amid rising concerns over suspected Chinese influence near the vital trade corridor.
On Sunday, the drills began with the arrival of three U.S. Army helicopters at Panama-Pacific Airport—formerly the U.S. Howard Air Base—including two UH-60 Black Hawks and one CH-47 Chinook.
This follows similar training conducted last month under a bilateral agreement that permits the U.S. to utilize Panamanian air and naval facilities for exercises without establishing permanent military bases.
