Beijing cites high accident rate to justify Panama ship detentions ahead of bilateral talks
- China says Panama-flagged ships account for 50% of maritime accidents and deaths in its waters despite representing only 20% of foreign port calls
- Detentions fell sharply in early July ahead of bilateral talks scheduled for July 16-18
- The campaign has triggered a record exodus from the Panama registry and warnings of US retaliation
China justifies its crackdown on Panama-flagged ships by citing safety data, while easing detentions ahead of diplomatic talks to resolve a dispute sparked by Panama’s cancellation of Chinese-operated port contracts
