Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino says his nation intends to maintain control of the Panama Canal, after President Trump re-upped his intent to take control of the strategic waterway in his inaugural address.

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.

Republicans hoping to thwart Beijing’s influence in Latin America are urging the Panamanian government to cut ties with Chinese entities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Central America comes after President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to take the Panama Canal back.

Trump's canal claims would undermine U.S.-Panama relations, boost China's influence, and revive regional tensions, harming both countries' interests, two experts argued

The president repeated false claims related to the 2020 US election in addition to unfounded allegations against immigration. View on euronews

In his inaugural speech, President Donald Trump repeated his plan to regain control of the Panama Canal. Can he?

Hutchinson Ports - a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings - operate ports on either extreme of the 82-kilometer waterway.

They say they fought too hard to wrest it from the U.S. to now hand back the waterway, which is part of the nation’s identity.

Russia’s foreign ministry has called on Trump to reaffirm the current international agreement surrounding the Panama Canal and to leave it in control of the nation of Panama.