The Chinese Government has voiced its support for Panama to retain control of the Panama Canal, after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to bring the vital trade route back under U.S. control.
During a press briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that China would support the Panamanian people in defending the sovereignty of the Panama Canal.
"The Panama Canal is a great creation of the people of Panama. It is a golden waterway for connectivity among countries," Mao said.
"China has always supported the people of Panama in their just struggle for sovereignty over the Canal. China will always respect Panama's sovereignty over the Canal and recognize the Canal as a permanently neutral international waterway.
"We believe that under the efficient running of Panama, the Canal will continue to make new contributions to facilitating integration and exchanges between people of different countries and enhancing humanity's well-being."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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Theo Burman
Theo Burman is a Newsweek Live News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is on U.S. politics and international ...
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