The Panama Canal Authority chief dismissed President-elect Trump’s claims that China is controlling the trade route and criticized his comments about fees. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales told The Wall

The canal executive said China doesn’t control route and U.S. ships can’t get better rates than others.

For weeks, Donald Trump has been stating his intention to take control of the Panama Canal, a critical 51-mile long waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

President-elect Donald J. Trump refused on Tuesday to rule out the use of military or economic coercion to force Panama to give up control of the canal that America built more than a century ago and to push Denmark to sell Greenland to the United States.

President-elect Donald Trump wouldn't rule out military or economic coercion, saying the U.S. needs to stop China. Also a factor: climate change.

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) will introduce a bill that would authorize the president to purchase the Panama Canal and put it under U.S. control, an acquisition that President-elect Trump has been

The leader of the Panama Canal Authority denied President-elect Donald Trump’s claims that China is controlling the vital trade route and said Trump’s suggestion that U.S. ships get preferential rates “will lead to chaos.

Panama rejected suggestions of Chinese influence over its canal and dismissed threats of possible US military action on January 7, after President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out force to regain control of the strategic waterway.