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The crisis also acts as a spotlight on the rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. The U.S. government, including figures like Senator Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, has expressed worry over China's escalating influence in Panama, suggesting that China is poised to exploit its position should U.S.-China relations deteriorate. The irony lies in how, despite Panama maintaining control over the canal since 1999, the increasing involvement of Chinese companies in infrastructure around the canal has raised fears in Washington about potential indirect Chinese influence over global trade.