Nicaragua gives Chinese firm contract to build alternative to Panama Canal

[Nan Yang]

Nicaragua gives Chinese firm contract to build alternative to Panama Canal

Nicaragua has awarded a Chinese company a 100-year concession to build an alternative to the Panama Canal, in a step that looks set to have profound geopolitical ramifications.

The president of the country's national assembly, Rene Nuñez, announced the $40bn (£26bn) project, which will reinforce Beijing's growing influence on global trade and weaken US dominance over the key shipping route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The name of the company and other details have yet to be released, but the opposition congressman Luis Callejas said the government planned to grant a 100-year lease to the Chinese operator.

The national assembly will debate two bills on the project, including an outline for an environmental impact assessment, on Friday.

Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, said recently that the new channel would be built in the north of the country, through the waters of Lake Nicaragua.

The new route will be a higher-capacity alternative to the 99-year-old Panama Canal, which is currently being widened at the cost of $5.2bn.

Last year, the Nicaraguan government noted that the new canal should be able to allow passage for mega-container ships with a dead weight of up to 250,000 tonnes. This is more than double the size of the vessels that will be able to pass through the Panama Canal after its expansion, it said.

Nicaragua gives Chinese firm contract to build alternative to Panama Canal | World news | guardian.co.uk

 

[harpoon]

The big question is ......Will US allow it?

 

[Pakistanisage]

The big question is ......Will US allow it?

The US should have no say in this matter. Nicaragua is a Sovereign Nation and what they do is their businesss.....

 

[harpoon]

The US should have no say in this matter. Nicaragua is a Sovereign Nation and what they do is their businesss.....

So is Pakistan....isn't it?

 

[Raphael]

The big question is ......Will US allow it?

Although the US has an infamous history of orchestrating coups, overthrowing democratically elected leaders, installing military dictators, and using the "war on drugs" to undermine policy-making in Latin America, Nicaragua is a sovereign state now and generally has control over its own affairs. It's neighbor, the US client state in Colombia, is a different story.

 

[soaringeagle]

1) Wise move for the CN.
2) Due to the limitation of the Panama Canal even after upgrade, so called "Panamax' has always been a headache for shipping companies. A second canal is needed anyway.
3) Not a hoot the US can do about this, other than compete for the contract themselves.
4) A good news for the Nicaragua people, happy days are coming their way.

 

[harpoon]

Although the US has an infamous history of orchestrating coups, overthrowing democratically elected leaders, installing military dictators, and using the "war on drugs" to undermine policy-making in Latin A
merica, Nicaragua is a sovereign state now and generally has control over its own affairs. It's neighbor, the US client state in Colombia, is a different story.

Latin America is basically treated as America's backyard. I don't think US will allow another power to take hold there. Basically this project will be shelved with US offering a Nicaragua an offer that they could not refuse.

 

[Sashan]

1) Wise move for the CN.
2) Due to the limitation of the Panama Canal even after upgrade, so called "Panamax' has always been a headache for shipping companies. A second canal is needed anyway.
3) Not a hoot the US can do about this, other than compete for the contract themselves.
4) A good news for the Nicaragua people, happy days are coming their way.

Remember the area through which the planned canal is going to come is a disputed territory claimed by both Costa Rica and Colombia. And guess who will these countries turn to? And Ortega is trying to be another Chavez but lets wait and watch.

 

[cirr]

Latin America is basically treated as America's backyard. I don't think US will allow another power to take hold there. Basically this project will be shelved with US offering a Nicaragua an offer that they could not refuse.

So the US offers Nicaragua 20 billion dollars。

Great。Great way to weaken the US economically。Aim achieved。

 

[cirr]

By the way，the Chinese media are these days rife with the story of building a rail link that connects Gawdar Port with Kashi in Xinjiang:

When questioned by a reporter as to the validity of the project, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said....YES!

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[harpoon]

So the US offers Nicaragua 20 billion dollars。

Great。Great way to weaken the US economically。Aim achieved。

20 billion is too small a sum to pay to keep your 'backyard' clean.

 

[Pakistanisage]

So is Pakistan....isn't it?

I speak as an American, Genius.....

You speak as a slave of America.....

There is a big difference between us....Slave boy.....

 

[funtoosh]

I speak as an American, Genius.....

You speak as a slave of America.....

There is a big difference between us....Slave boy.....

haha american, of the times sq variety?

 

[Psyops]

We try to discuss a proper topic and these low life Indians come to derail the thread defending their white master.

 

[anon45]

Latin America is basically treated as America's backyard. I don't think US will allow another power to take hold there. Basically this project will be shelved with US offering a Nicaragua an offer that they could not refuse.

Well yes, but explain how this weakens the US? In fact another canal would strengthen US power projection over the Pacific and Atlantic. People are screaming the sky is falling because a Chinese contractor is the proposed operator/builder, but its not like the Chinese have the power projection to contest US action should the Chinese contractor or Nicaragua choose to make the stupid mistake of closing the canal to US shipping/military movement, basically removing neutrality from its operation.

The Panama Canal is owned by the Panama Government, there is no issue if the Nicaraguan Canal is owned by the government of Nicaragua, as long as they remain neutral.

Basically China/a Chinese affiliated company gets to pay for quicker US power projection, I like it.


The ones that should really hate this? The government of Panama and its citizens. Its a long term danger to a major source of revenue for them.