China has criticized a US-backed project in Panama aimed at replacing Huawei telecommunications equipment.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused Washington of exerting “malign influence” in the region.

It asserted that Latin America is “not the backyard of anyone” and rejected claims that Huawei poses a national security threat.

Recently, the US embassy in Panama announced an US$8 million initiative to replace Huawei technology with American systems at 13 sites.

This plan was developed in coordination with Panama’s Ministry of Public Security.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino expressed frustration over the US embassy’s public handling of the announcement.

He highlighted Panama’s sovereignty, stating that decisions regarding national infrastructure should not be framed unilaterally by foreign partners.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Small nations increasingly assert autonomy amid great power competition

Panama’s response to the US telecommunications project demonstrates how smaller countries are pushing back against being caught in geopolitical rivalries.

President Mulino’s emphatic statement that Panama “will not be drawn into an international problem of such magnitude where we have no role to play” reflects a growing trend of nations asserting sovereignty when caught between competing powers 1.

This mirrors similar responses from other Latin American countries that have sought to maintain economic relationships with both China and the US without being forced to choose sides 2.

The reaction aligns with historical patterns where Latin American nations have strategically balanced external influences while protecting their independence, as shown by Panama’s careful navigation between leaving China’s Belt and Road Initiative while also criticizing US rhetoric 1.

Despite economic asymmetries, Panama’s government is demonstrating that even smaller states can exercise agency in international relations by publicly rejecting the binary framing of US-China competition.

2️⃣ Technology infrastructure emerges as critical battleground in US-China competition

Recent Huawei developments