PANAMA : Panamanian authorities began an audit of the China-linked company that controls two ports adjacent to the Panama Canal, as President Donald Trump repeats threats to take over the waterway.

Beijing’s efforts to expand its reach in the country have hit several obstacles, in part because of American pressure.

The administrator of the Panama Canal said Friday that the vital waterway will remain in Panamanian hands and open to commerce from all countries, rejecting claims by President-elect Donald Trump that the United States should take it over.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino responded forcefully Monday, as he did after Trump’s initial statement last month that the U.S. should consider repossessing the canal, saying the canal belongs to his country of 4 million and will remain Panama’s territory.

Panama has complained to the United Nations over United States President Donald Trump's "worrying" threat to seize the Panama Canal, even as it launched an audit of the Hong Kong-linked operator of two ports on the interoceanic waterway.

PANAMA CITY — The administrator of the Panama ... operating in the ports on either end of the canal were part of a Hong Kong consortium that won a bidding process in 1997. He added that U.S ...

Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino has denied that any other nation was interfering in the canal, which he said was operated on a principle of neutrality. "The canal is and will remain Panama's," Mulino said in response to Trump's threats.

The Panamanian comptroller's office that oversees public entities announced “an exhaustive audit" at the Panama Ports Company.

Panama has complained to the United Nations over US President Donald Trump's "worrying" threat to seize the Panama Canal, even as it launched an audit of the Hong Kong-linked operator of two

China has fired back at President Donald Trump, dismissing his claim that Beijing has seized control of the Panama Canal as baseless and provocative. Newsweek reached out by email to a Trump representative and to Hutchison Ports, a Hong Kong–based port operator that controls ports near the canal, for comment.

We're taking it back.' Trump inauguration speech claim that the U.S. will regain control of the Panama Canal spurs immediate reaction in Panama.