On June 23, 2026, at an OAS dialogue in Panama, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S.
and OAS observer Xie Feng rejected Panama's allegations that China improperly
carried out port-state inspections on arriving ships. Xie said the charges were
false, citing multiple collisions since 2026 involving Panama-flagged vessels in
Chinese waters that caused deaths and missing persons. He said China, under
Chinese law and relevant international conventions, has conducted port-state
control inspections to protect maritime and crew safety and that inspections are
not targeted at any specific country or flag. Xie urged Panama to correct the
record and safeguard the lawful rights of Chinese firms.
