Panama eliminates charge fees for U.S. government vessels to use the canal

The U.S. State Department connected Wednesday announced a caller woody with the authorities of Panama that volition destruct complaint fees for U.S. authorities vessels.

"The government of Panama has agreed to nary longer complaint fees for U.S. authorities vessels to transit the Panama Canal," the State Department wrote successful an X station Wednesday night.

The caller statement volition prevention the U.S. government millions of dollars a year, officials noted.

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Panama President José Raúl Mulino promised connected Sunday to extremity a cardinal development woody with China aft gathering with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

During his visit, former Florida Senator Rubio wrote successful a station connected X that "the United States cannot, and volition not, let the Chinese Communist Party to proceed with its effectual and increasing power implicit the Panama Canal area." 

President Donald Trump, who has openly criticized the six-figure premiums imposed connected U.S. ships traveling through, has suggested repurchasing the canal.

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It was built implicit decades by the U.S., but was aboriginal handed implicit to Panama during the Carter administration.

A recently introduced measure called the "Panama Canal Repurchase Act" would springiness Trump and Rubio the authorization to negociate with Panama to repurchase the canal.

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More than 70 percent of each vessels traveling done the canal are inbound oregon outbound to U.S. ports, according to the State Department. It is besides a cardinal transit constituent for U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Defense vessels. 

Ships would request to question 8,000 further miles astir South America to debar utilizing the pathway.

Fox News Digital requested remark from the State Department, but did not instantly person a effect arsenic of Wednesday night.

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.