chair cruz: kontorovich professor kontorovich i want to turn to the treaty. president trump has made important arguments that chinese control over canal infrastructure and exorbitant fees charged for canal transits are violations of neutrality treaty. i want to highlight three specific provisions. article four requires united states and panama to establish and maintain "a regime of neutrality." article five limits any foreign control by providing quote only the republic of panama shall operate the canal and maintain military forces, defense sites, and military installations within its territory." an article 31 c requires that "tolls and other charges he just, reasonable, equity and consistent with the principles of international law." in your opinion could the facts discussed here because her violations of the neutrality treaty enforce right now between the united states and panama? prof. kontorovich: i think potentially they could. it is impossible to say definitively without knowing more, in particular about the degree of chinese control and involvement in