The new Secretary of State already has said the Hong Kong-based operator of Panama Canal-adjacent ports could be a “big national security and defense problem.”

China's expanding footprint in Latin America is expected to be high on the agenda when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Panama next week on his first overseas trip since taking office, according to observers.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s insistence that he wants to have the Panama Canal back under U.S. control is feeding nationalist sentiment and worry in Panama, home to the critical trade route and a country familiar with U.

President Trump’s push to take back control of the strategic waterway stokes memories of a period of U.S. imperial ambition and violence.

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

Panama’s government and President José Raúl Mulino have repeatedly denied that there is any Chinese presence at the canal.

The answer is simple: there is no greater or more idealistic symbol of U.S. power in the world than the Panama Canal. As Trump seeks a way to enhance the country's power in the world, leaning on imagery regarding the Panama Canal provides just the right message.

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.

I think the world is going to witness four years of a reckless presidency, typical of a Republican. We are going to see four years of America

With a new defense secretary confirmed, Senate officials can now turn their attention to considering President Donald Trump's picks to lead the individual military services. But exactly when those hearings will take place is unclear.

A U.S. Senator from Missouri has led several colleagues to introduce a resolution that would help American companies continue to ship through the Panama Canal without influence from the Chinese government.