The United States had maintained a "special relationship" with Panama for a long time through the control of the Canal and
the force of the dollar since 1903.A great deal of facts indicate that the return of the Canal by the U. S.. to Panama is a kind of reluctant cooperation on the part of the U.S. Although the return of the Canal is already a reality the U. S. never gives up its attempt at controlling Panama. For the U . S., the return itself dose not mean any changes in the strategic importance of Panama and in the Canal per se. 1) Clinton refused to be present at the ceremony of turnover in Panama. 2) The U . S. will never forget its rights granted by the neutrality treaty of the Canal Zone to intervene(including
military action). 3) Certain U. S. domestic forces oppose the return of the Canal and the close of U.S. military base in Panama. 4) Some U. S. Congressmen, veterans, and media spread the views that China has consolidated its presence in the Canal area through the bid by a Hong Kong company, Hutchinson Whampoa.5) The U. S. keeps on disseminating the news about the corruption and incompetence of the Panamanian governments and thus its inability to manage and defend the Canal. At the same time, the U. S. also adopts some friendly postures. 1) The U. S. eventually returned the Canal and withdrew its armed forces . 2) The U. S. has promised to establish a new type of
relations with Panama which is "important to the whole Latin America". 3) At the beginning of the new millennium U. S. secretary of state paid a visit to Panama. Panama is to a certain extent dependent upon the U. S.1) Service is the main sector of the Panamanian economy; 2) Domestic socioeconomic problems, poverty, and marginalization in Panama led to political instability; 3) Panamanian currency is tied to U. S. dollar; 4) There are also factors concerning humanities and cultures.