U.S. and Hong Kong (1999)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

October 19, 1999

PRESS BRIEFING BY JOE LOCKHART

The Briefing Room

1:10 P.M. EDT

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Q: What are we involved in in terms of security? Haven't the Chinese bought the shipping rights on both ends?

LOCKHART: No. That is the kind of silly stuff that gets out from time to time in this town. The security of the Canal will be controlled by the commission controlled by Panama. There are two ports where cargo will be loaded and unloaded, that were put out to competitive bidding. That bidding process was won by a Hong Kong company, which is, I think, the largest company in the world doing this kind of business, so it was no surprise that they won this business. But the security, the locks at either end, will be controlled by Panama. And the treaty is very specific about the right of all nations to have equal access to the Canal.

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