BEIJING, April 3. /TASS/. The United States openly undermines the neutral status of the Panama Canal through unilateral coercion, and its baseless accusations are intended only to conceal its own hegemonic nature, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported Panama’s cancellation of Hong Kong company CK Hutchison’s concession agreements for the management of terminals in the Panama Canal. In February, Panama forcibly transferred the terminals to state management, provoking a strong protest from China. Rubio accused China of using economic instruments to put pressure on the Central American republic.

"The relevant statements by the American side are absolutely groundless and turn the facts upside down. The irresponsible statements of the United States only expose its own hegemonic nature. Who exactly, through unilateral harassment and coercion, openly undermines the neutral status of the Panama Canal and violates the rules of fair global competition?" Mao Ning told a news conference.

According to her, the state will continue to firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he intended to restore American control over the Panama Canal. He called China’s commercial presence on this strategic waterway a threat to the security and trade interests of the United States.