No lie can conceal US ambition over Panama Canal: spokesman

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Wednesday that the recent comments by Panama's media have sharply exposed the true nature of U.S. hegemony, pointing to its ambitions to control the Panama Canal.

Guo commented at a press conference when a reporter brought up Panama's media criticism of the U.S. interference and hegemonic actions in Central America, hyping a fabricated "China threat" in the country to control the Canal. The Panamanian media also slammed the U.S. plan to build a long-term military presence, which could further hurt Panama's interests.

"The comments made by Panama's media have accurately exposed the essence of U.S. hegemonic behavior. The U.S. has fabricated the lie of 'China controlling the Panama Canal' and maliciously attacked China, which is merely an excuse to justify its control over the Canal and push forward its expansionist and 'Monroe Doctrine'-style hegemonic agenda. The international community and the people of Panama see this very clearly. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino also rejected the false claim of Chinese interference because this is not based on facts," Guo said.

"No lie can conceal the United States' ambitions to control the Panama Canal. We again urge the U.S. to stop manipulating China-related issues, cease its attacks and smear campaigns against China, and halt its interference with normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Latin American countries, including Panama. The U.S. should focus on actions that truly benefit regional and global development and prosperity," said the spokesman.

No lie can conceal US ambition over Panama Canal: spokesman

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Tesla's certification that its new Cybercab meets all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

The probe, formally designated as an Audit Query, was opened on Sept. 3 and covers an estimated 1,000 Cybercab vehicles, according to an NHTSA investigation document made public on Friday. It will examine the process and technical data Tesla relied upon when certifying the Cybercab, as well as related issues. Tesla began commercial deployment of a small number of Cybercab vehicles in Austin, Texas, on Thursday and notified the agency that it had certified the vehicles as compliant with all applicable FMVSS. Tesla also told the NHTSA that it plans to gradually expand commercial deployment of the Cybercab to include additional vehicles and locations.

The vehicles lack permanently attached conventional manual controls, such as a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel and mirrors, according to the NHTSA.

The agency said the inquiry will examine, among other issues, the extent to which Tesla's certification depended on determinations that certain FMVSS are inapplicable to the Cybercab.

In the United States, the NHTSA establishes vehicle performance requirements, while automakers must certify that their vehicles meet applicable standards before entering the U.S. market, subject to agency oversight to confirm compliance. The NHTSA said it conducts investigations when certified vehicles appear not to adhere to those requirements.

U.S. regulator opens probe into Tesla Cybercab self-certification