The Panama Canal is owned by the Panama government, but is run like a private business. The Panama Canal Authority operates based on principles of supply and demand and provides a service to the maritime trade industry that is worth paying for.

Since taking office, Mr Trump has criticised former president Jimmy Carter for “foolishly” returning the canal, which was constructed by the US in the early 1900s, to Panama. Two treaties signed in 1977 ceded the canal back to the Central American country – with the canal turned over on Dec 31, 1999.

Statement comes after mainland China’s market regulator asked parties involved not to circumvent ongoing antitrust probe.

China will host a summit that includes its key Latin American trade partners this week in an effort to advance influence and partnerships in the region, as Beijing and Washington try to defuse their trade war.

The Panama Canal has spent the past few years battling extreme weather, with the El Niño phenomenon and severe drought leading to a water-level crisis.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has wasted no time in reshaping a decades-long foreign policy approach that’s paid “scarce attention”

The United States' new ambassador to Panama pledged on Thursday to strengthen ties with the Central American country while pushing China as a common threat.

The United States new ambassador to Panama, Kevin Cabrera, vowed Thursday to deepen bilateral relations while warning against growing Chinese influence in the region. Speaking at his official residence,