For 83 years, the Panama Canal has been open to all nations, providing a cost effective route for thousands of ships every year. And our Panamanian partners, as you, too, will learn, are prepared to keep it that way in the future. The canal is a global asset. It is a vital transportation artery, known by mariners as the best short cut in the world. Some 4 percent of global, ship-borne commerce passes through the canal.
Transportation is the tie that binds.
It is the means by which we pursue happiness and access opportunity. And the canal binds our nations and our economies together as one. But governments cannot do it alone. We need you, the users of the canal. So we look forward to working with you during these meetings and in the years to come.