China Stymied In Panama Base Hunt

Those of you who shared my concern about Communist China's attempts to acquire the closed USAF base at the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal will be relieved to read this bit of news, from the Business Times of Singapore:

SINGAPORE Technologies Aerospace, the aerospace arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering, yesterday announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Agencia del Area Economica Especial Panama-Pacifico to set up an airframe, heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Panama. Under the agreement, ST Aerospace will take over all the four existing hangars at the ex-Howard Air Force Base, located just west of the Panama Canal.

There's more of the base still up for grabs, but not having hangers would diminish the potential for military uses at the base, should China succeed in acquiring the remainder.

Relief aside, I am reminded again of just what a stinkwad president Jimmy Carter was.

Tags: Howard Air Force Base, China, Panama, Carter