Latest news with #AlvinHolsey
Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
China's Space Projects on US Doorstep Have Military Worried
China's space infrastructure in Latin America is the biggest outside of China and raises questions that need answers, the commander of the U.S. Southern Command said in rare public comments this week. Admiral Alvin Holsey said SouthCom would soon establish its own Space South command. The scale of China's regional space infrastructure was underlined by a Newsweek investigation into a joint Chinese observatory being built by a Chinese state-owned enterprise in Chile - and which was subsequently placed on hold. "Space is really huge for me," Holsey told a security conference at Florida International University in Miami. The United States and China are competing in space on multiple levels with implications for potential future conflicts as they build out communications, surveillance and guidance systems. The world's biggest rival powers are also both leading projects to get people to the moon as a stepping stone to Mars. America's project is known as Artemis, and China, with its de facto ally Russia, is offering one called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia plan to build a nuclear power plant on the moon. SouthCom would establish Space South command "in the next couple of weeks" as part of the newest component of the military, the U.S. Space Force, Holsey said, with United States Space Forces – Southern to be based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. "And the big point there is, there's a lot of PRC China space and labor infrastructure in this region, and our partners want to know more about it, and I want to know more about it as well," Holsey told participants at the 10th Annual Hemispheric Security Conference. "So right now, there's 10 PRC linked space sites across 5 countries in the region," Holsey said, listing their functions that included space object surveillance and identification, and telemetry, tracking and control sites, both important for military space operations. "Why is that? That's, this region is second only to mainland China for space and labor infrastructure. So, I have to make sure as a combatant commander, what does that mean in the future?" Holsey said. He said that China saw "unchecked opportunity" in the region and was making fast progress spreading its influence making it a major challenge to the U.S. including economically. "China remains a long-term strategic competitor. They're a pacing threat, and they're setting the theater," Holsey said. "I believe Beijing's approach to the region is primarily driven by economics which provide access, influence, and the opportunity to coerce our partner nations into unfavorable terms. In short, I think they see unchecked opportunity." According to the Newsweek investigation published last December about a joint Chinese observatory being built by a Chinese state-owned enterprise in Chile at Cerro Ventarrones there were at least 16 Chinese space enabling infrastructures in the region, though the number varies according to definitions. The Chilean government placed the project on hold following the report. Related Articles China Makes Overtures to Allies in America's BackyardDonald Trump Takes Well-Deserved Victory Lap on Middle East Tour | OpinionPanama Asks Trump to Clean Up Mess Left From Biden-Era Migration SurgeChina Reveals Details About New Stealth Jet 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump White House has asked U.S. military to develop options for the Panama Canal, officials say
WASHINGTON — The White House has directed the U.S. military to draw up options for increasing the American troop presence in Panama to achieve President Trump's goal of 'reclaiming' the Panama Canal, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. During a joint address to Congress last week, Trump said, "to further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal.' Since then, administration officials have not said what "reclaiming" means. U.S. Southern Command is developing potential plans that vary from partnering more closely with Panamanian security forces to the less likely option of U.S. troops seizing the Panama Canal by force, the officials said. Whether military force is used, the officials added, depends on how much Panamanian security forces agree to partner with the U.S. The Trump administration's goal is to increase the U.S. military presence in Panama to diminish China's influence there, particularly access to the canal, the officials said. Both Panama and China deny there is any foreign interference in the 50-mile canal, whose neutrality is enshrined in Panama's Constitution. Chinese officials have accused the U.S. of using "coercion" to pressure Panamanian officials to block Chinese aid projects. The U.S. officials told NBC News that the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Adm. Alvin Holsey, presented draft strategies to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week. Hegseth is expected to visit Panama next month. The officials cautioned that a U.S. invasion of Panama is unlikely and would only come under serious consideration if a larger American military presence in Panama does not achieve President Donald Trump's goal of reclaiming the waterway, the officials said. Neither the Pentagon nor the Panamanian Embassy in Washington immediately responded to a request for comment. Trump has said he intends to return ownership of the canal to the U.S. after Panama gained control of the area more than a quarter century ago under a treaty signed by the Carter administration. Privately, Trump has told his advisers that he sees a U.S. military presence in Panama and on the canal itself as critical to that effort, the U.S. officials said. Trump has also made it clear that he wants U.S. service members to be visible in the canal zone as a show of force. Trump administration officials have argued that China has too large a presence near the canal. In the event of a conflict, they say, Beijing could shut down the canal to American shipping, including military ships. During a visit to Panama last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino that 'the status quo is unacceptable' regarding China's presence in Panama. Mulino said the Panamanian government alone administers the canal and denied ceding operation of the canal to China in any way. After Panama declined to renew a key infrastructure agreement with China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the projects were part of Beijing's Belt and Road development initiative and that China 'firmly opposes the U.S. smearing and undermining the Belt and Road cooperation through means of pressure and coercion.' Last year, now retired Gen. Laura Richardson, then the commander of United States Southern Command, said in testimony to the House Armed Services Committee that China is "playing the long game." Richardson warned that Chinese government-backed economic development projects are "dual-use sites and facilities" that can be quickly flipped and used for military purposes. "The PRC messages its investments as peaceful, but in fact, many serve as points of future multi-domain access for the PLA and strategic naval chokepoints," she said, referring to the People's Republic of China and the People's Liberation Army. "In Panama, PRC-controlled State-Owned Enterprises, SOEs, continue to bid on projects related to the Panama Canal — a global strategic chokepoint.' The U.S. military currently has more than 200 troops in Panama but the number fluctuates as troops rotate in and out, according to a defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some of those troops include Special Forces units working with Panamanian forces to protect the country from internal threats, insurgencies or unrest. Potential administration strategies include simply ensuring that U.S. ships have safe passage through the canal, to restoring total U.S. ownership and operation of the passageway, officials said. Other options under consideration include using the U.S. military to secure existing ports in Panama, to build new ports in Panama or using the Army Corps of Engineers to operate the canal's locks, officials said. There are also discussions about opening Army Jungle Schools, or training camps, in Panama, like the ones U.S. troops trained in jungle warfare until the canal was formally handed over to Panama in 1999. One other focus of the ongoing planning is potentially positioning U.S. military forces near Panama in the event of a regional war or a threat to the U.S. In that scenario, the U.S. military would aim to secure the Panama Canal and eliminate China's access to the critical waterway. American officials cautioned that the U.S. would only block Chinese transit through the canal in the event of war. The Panama Canal is one of the world's busiest waterways, with the majority of the cargo that passes through it originating in the U.S. or heading to the U.S. If the Panama Canal were blocked, ships would have to transit around South America, sharply increasing the cost and time of each voyage. The U.S. constructed the canal from 1904 to 1914 after a failed French effort. In 1977, after long-running protests by Panamanians, President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty that turned control of the canal over to Panama. In 1989, during the George H.W. Bush administration, U.S. forces invaded Panama and ousted the country's leader, Manuel Noriega, who was later convicted of drug trafficking. In his joint address to Congress last week, Trump said that the U.S. was already moving to limit Chinese presence in the canal. 'Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal and lots of other things having to do with the Panama Canal and a couple of other canals.' The U.S. investment company BlackRock is part of a group buying a 90% stake in the Panama Ports Company, which operates the ports of Balboa and Cristobal on the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the canal. The stake is being purchased from a Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchinson, for $22.8 billion. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Gives New Orders to U.S. Military on Panama Canal Takeover
The Trump administration has asked the U.S. military to draw up options for retaking the Panama Canal. President Trump has been pushing for retaking the canal since December, and repeated his desire in a joint address to Congress last week, without any elaboration. The rest of the Trump administration hasn't attempted to explain what he means, either. The military is drawing up options, according to NBC News, that range from a closer partnership with the Panamanian military to soldiers seizing the Panama Canal by force, according to unnamed officials. The use of force depends on how much Panama's military is willing to work with the United States, the officials told NBC News. The commander of U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Alvin Holsey, presented the different strategies to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth earlier this week. The plan to use military force against Panama will only be considered if posting additional U.S. military personnel does not accomplish Trump's goal of 'reclaiming' the canal, the officials said. Right now, the U.S. has more than 200 troops in the country, including Special Forces units working with Panamanian units to combat internal unrest. Trump claims China has troops in the canal, which Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino denies, as does China. In February, Panama decided not to renew an infrastructure agreement with China, drawing criticism from the country toward the U.S. China 'firmly opposes the U.S. smearing and undermining the Belt and Road cooperation through means of pressure and coercion,' said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, referring to the country's Belt and Road development initiative. Later this month, Hegseth is expected to visit Panama, where discussions on increasing U.S. troop presence in the canal zone will take place. The Cabinet secretary is fully on board with Trump's desire to retake the canal, saying in January that the U.S. has 'the right—we retain the right—to do what is necessary to make sure there is free navigation in the Panama Canal.' The canal is one of the busiest waterways in the world, with most of the cargo passing through heading to or from the U.S. Any disruption or blocking of the canal would have devastating effects on the U.S. as well as the world economy. But Trump has proven during his presidency that his personal wishes outweigh any economic concerns, no matter how absurd.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump White House has asked U.S. military to develop options for the Panama Canal, officials say
WASHINGTON — The White House has directed the U.S. military to draw up options for increasing the American troop presence in Panama to achieve President Trump's goal of 'reclaiming' the Panama Canal, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. During a joint address to Congress last week, Trump said, "to further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal.' Since then, administration officials have not said what "reclaiming" means. U.S. Southern Command is developing potential plans that vary from partnering more closely with the Panamanian military to the less likely option of U.S. troops seizing the Panama Canal by force, the officials said. Whether military force is used, the officials added, depends on how much the Panamanian military agrees to partner with the U.S. The Trump administration's goal is to increase the U.S. military presence in Panama to diminish China's influence there, particularly access to the canal, the officials said. Both Panama and China deny there is any foreign interference in the 50-mile canal, whose neutrality is enshrined in Panama's Constitution. Chinese officials have accused the U.S. of using "coercion" to pressure Panamanian officials to block Chinese aid projects. The U.S. officials told NBC News that the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Adm. Alvin Holsey, presented draft strategies to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week. Hegseth is expected to visit Panama next month. The officials cautioned that a U.S. invasion of Panama is unlikely and would only come under serious consideration if a larger American military presence in Panama does not achieve President Donald Trump's goal of reclaiming the waterway, the officials said. Neither the Pentagon nor the Panamanian Embassy in Washington immediately responded to a request for comment. Trump has said he intends to return ownership of the canal to the U.S. after Panama gained control of the area more than a quarter century ago under a treaty signed by the Carter administration. Privately, Trump has told his advisers that he sees a U.S. military presence in Panama and on the canal itself as critical to that effort, the U.S. officials said. Trump has also made it clear that he wants U.S. service members to be visible in the canal zone as a show of force. Trump administration officials have argued that China has too large a presence near the canal. In the event of a conflict, they say, Beijing could shut down the canal to American shipping, including military ships. During a visit to Panama last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino that 'the status quo is unacceptable' regarding China's presence in Panama. Mulino has said the Panamanian government alone administers the canal and denied ceding operation of the canal to China in any way. Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized the U.S. after Panama declined to renew a key infrastructure agreement with China. Lin said that China's investments in Panama were part of its Belt and Road development initiative and 'firmly opposes the U.S. smearing and undermining the Belt and Road cooperation through means of pressure and coercion.' The U.S. military currently has more than 200 troops in Panama but the number fluctuates as troops rotate in and out, according to a defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some of those troops include Special Forces units working with Panamanian forces to protect the country from internal threats, insurgencies or unrest. Potential administration strategies include simply ensuring that U.S. ships have safe passage through the canal, to restoring total U.S. ownership and operation of the passageway, officials said. Other options under consideration include using the U.S. military to secure existing ports in Panama, to build new ports in Panama or using the Army Corps of Engineers to operate the canal's locks, officials said. There are also discussions about opening Army Jungle Schools, or training camps, in Panama, like the ones U.S. troops trained in jungle warfare until the canal was formally handed over to Panama in 1999. One other focus of the ongoing planning is potentially positioning U.S. military forces near Panama in the event of a regional war or a threat to the U.S. In that scenario, the U.S. military would aim to secure the Panama Canal and eliminate China's access to the critical waterway. American officials cautioned that the U.S. would only block Chinese transit through the canal in the event of war. The Panama Canal is one of the world's busiest waterways, with the majority of the cargo that passes through it originating in the U.S. or heading to the U.S. If the Panama Canal were blocked, ships would have to transit around South America, sharply increasing the cost and time of each voyage. The U.S. constructed the canal from 1904 to 1914 after a failed French effort. In 1977, after long-running protests by Panamanians, President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty that turned control of the canal over to Panama. In 1989, during the George H.W. Bush administration, U.S. forces invaded Panama and ousted the country's leader, Manuel Noriega, who was later convicted of drug trafficking. In his joint address to Congress last week, Trump said that the U.S. was already moving to limit Chinese presence in the canal. 'Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal and lots of other things having to do with the Panama Canal and a couple of other canals.' The U.S. investment company BlackRock is part of a group buying a 90% stake in the Panama Ports Company, which operates the ports of Balboa and Cristobal on the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the canal. The stake is being purchased from a Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchinson, for $22.8 billion. This article was originally published on
NBC News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Trump White House has asked U.S. military to develop options for the Panama Canal, officials say
WASHINGTON — The White House has directed the U.S. military to draw up options for increasing the American troop presence in Panama to achieve President Trump's goal of 'reclaiming' the Panama Canal, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. 'To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal,' Trump said in a joint address to Congress last week. Since then, administration officials have not said what "reclaiming" means. U.S. Southern Command is developing potential plans that vary from partnering more closely with the Panamanian military to the less likely option of U.S. troops seizing the Panama Canal by force, the officials said. Whether military force is used, the officials added, depends on how much the Panamanian military agrees to partner with the U.S. The Trump administration's goal is to increase the U.S. military presence in Panama to diminish China's influence there, particularly access to the canal, the officials said. Chinese officials have said that they are trying to aid Panama's economic development and accused the U.S. of using "coercion" to pressure Panamanian officials to block Chinese aid projects. The commander of U.S. Southern Command, Adm. Alvin Holsey, presented draft strategies to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, the officials said. Hegseth is expected to visit Panama next month, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. The officials cautioned that a U.S. invasion of Panama is unlikely and would only come under serious consideration if a larger American military presence in Panama does not achieve President Donald Trump's goal of reclaiming the waterway, the officials said. Neither the Pentagon nor the Panamanian Embassy in Washington immediately responded to a request for comment. Trump has said he intends to return ownership of the canal to the U.S. after Panama gained control of the area more than a quarter century ago under a treaty signed by the Carter administration. Privately, Trump has told his advisers that he sees a U.S. military presence in Panama and on the canal itself as critical to that effort, the two U.S. officials said. Trump has also made it clear that he wants U.S. service members to be visible in the canal zone as a show of force. Trump administration officials have argued that China has too large a presence near the canal. In the event of a conflict, they say, Beijing could shut down the canal to American shipping, including military ships. The Panamanian government has said it alone administers the canal and denied ceding operation of the canal to China in any way. Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized the U.S. after Panama declined to renew a key infrastructure agreement with China following a visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Panama. U.S. officials said that Rubio told Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino that "the status quo is unacceptable" regarding China's presence in Panama. Lin said that China's investments in Panama were part of its e 'firmly opposes the U.S. smearing and undermining the Belt and Road cooperation through means of pressure and coercion.' The U.S. military currently has more than 200 troops in Panama but the number fluctuates as troops rotate in and out, according to a defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some of those troops include Special Forces units working with Panamanian forces to protect the country from internal threats, insurgencies or unrest. Potential strategies include simply ensuring that U.S. ships have safe passage through the canal, to restoring total U.S. ownership and operation of the passageway, officials said. Other options under consideration include using the U.S. military to secure existing ports in Panama, to build new ports in Panama or to use the Army Corps of Engineers to operate the canal's locks, officials said. There are also discussions about opening Army Jungle Schools, or training camps, in Panama, like the ones U.S. troops trained in jungle warfare until the canal was formally handed over to Panama in 1999. One other focus of the ongoing planning is potentially positioning U.S. military forces near Panama in the event of a regional war or a threat to the U.S. In that scenario, the U.S. military would aim to secure the Panama Canal and eliminate China's access to the critical waterway. Officials cautioned that the U.S. would only block Chinese transit through the canal in the event of war. The Panama Canal is one of the world's busiest waterways, with the majority of the cargo that passes through it originating in the U.S. or heading to the U.S. If the Panama Canal were blocked, ships would have to transit around South America, sharply increasing the cost and time of each voyage. The U.S. constructed the canal from 1904 to 1914 after a failed French effort. In 1977, after long-running protests by Panamanians, President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty that turned control of the canal over to Panama. In 1989, during the George H.W. Bush administration, U.S. forces invaded Panama and ousted the country's leader, Manuel Noriega, who was later convicted of drug trafficking. In his joint address to Congress last week, Trump said that the U.S. was already moving to limit Chinese presence in the canal. 'Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal and lots of other things having to do with the Panama Canal and a couple of other canals.' The U.S. investment company BlackRock is part of a group that is buying a controlling stake in ports on either side of the canal.
