When time ticks on Panama Canal's return countdown board some stalwarts in the US Senate have already busied themselves to set up a din about the return affairs of the Panama Canal. A new story spun by them is that "China is in an attempt to take into control of the Panama Canal by its Hong Kong Hutchison-Whanpoa Group". That "when necessary China may seal off the Panama Canal" and that the canal's safety "is under threat". A thorn that has seemingly got into the flesh of those US Senate stalwarts is that Hong Kong Hutchison-Whampoa Group has come into management of two important harbors on the Panama Canal.

But it is competition by which Hong Kong Hutchson-Whampoa Group has won the rights to management of the two said harbors -- Balboa and Cristobal on the Panama Canal strictly according to international rules. However, the US stalwarts want to champion the failure of their compatriots at the hands of Hong Kong Hutchison-Whampoa Group. For lack of a straw they can hang on they directly assume a "Buddha" look by voicing their "concern" over the future of the Panama Canal and in the meantime not forget to level groundless charges against China.

History however cannot help conceal the true "Buddha" face of those US Senate stalwarts. In 1903, US invaders forced an unequal treaty on Panama by which it seized the right to start their colonialist careers on the Panama Canal. In the past 85 years since its seizure of the sovereignty of the Panama Canal, the US has reaped the greatest economic gains as much as it can from the canal. Long struggles have been launched by the Panamanian people for abrogation of the treaty and taking back their sovereignty over the canal. In line with the New Canal Treaty signed by Panama with the US on September 7, complete sovereignty over the canal should be duly returned to its owners and the US will not have a single soldier or arms to be left on the land of the canal area. Since time immemorial flowers have to wither when the time comes. Being a handful wedded to all sorts of whimsical charges against China, those few US Senate stalwarts should better not while their time away and make trouble out of nothing on the problem of the Panama Canal.

China has always been opposed to hegemonism. Seeking no world hegemonism is the commitment China has made to the world people. This is a fact be there for all to see. When a "China threat" tone is being struck up by a few Cold War mongers in today's world, the US Senate stalwarts are obviously dyeing for some new pretexts to be sought and grind their axe for future interference in the affairs of the Panama Canal. This is an obvious thing to all clear-sighted people.

In view of US stalwarts' clandestine acts in sullying the image of China, Panamanian President Mileiya Moscosuohas has however given no room for those of US maniacs to hole in. On his US visit he pointed out lately that the Panama Canal "is in the hands of the Panamanian people, not in the hands of Chinese. Hong Kong Hutchison-Whampoa Group's management constitutes no threat" to Panama. Panama Canal Commission Administrator Mr Alberto Aleman Zubieta also points out bluntly recently that "the Panamanian people are in complete control of the Panama Canal". It goes without saying these words are a complete rebuttal to the US Senate stalwarts' groundless charges against Hong Hong Hutchison-Whampoa Group and China.

The Panama Canal with its Gatun Lake water takes its course into the Atlantic and the Pacific as well. When entering the 21st century, a conjunction of two millennia, the Panama Canal has to be turned over into the hands of the Panamanian people and there will be still found its continued function and service to further the development of the world trade. Let's give those US Senate stalwarts such a piece of advice: They should better not made trouble out of nothing. They should find some time to have a clear estimation of themselves to calmly face the reality that the Panama Canal is to be returned to its genuine owner at an expected date. What is more, it depends no man's will. (Guan Yanzhong)