Panama Canal was built by the US and opened in 1914. It was later handed over to Panama in 1999 by the then-US President Jimmy Carter. Soon after taking office, US President Donald Trump threatened to take back the control of Panama Canal,

Panama’s president reiterated on Sunday that Panama’s sovereignty over the Panama Canal is not up for debate, saying that during talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he had addressed the United States’ concerns over China’s presence around the vital waterway.

Panama has decided not to renew its participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), making it the first Latin American nation to leave the programme. President José Raúl Mulino stated that his administration would assess whether an early termination is possible.

Panama has decided to step away from a major global project led by China. The country’s president, José Raúl Mulino, announced that it will not renew its deal with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).