The country’s top auditor said CK Hutchison owes the government $300 million, posing a hurdle to a plan touted by Trump to bring the ports under U.S. control.

A deal to transfer control over major Panama ports from China-tied CK Hutchison to American firm BlackRock hit roadblocks after Panama’s top auditor accused the Hong Kong business of wrongdoings and owing hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid fees.

The transaction has drawn fierce criticism from influential Chinese political offices, including the mainland’s Liaison Office.

The Panama Canal has been a focal point of President Trump's broadside against China since his inaugural speech, and it's getting new focus as Beijing looks at alternatives to trading with the U.S. De

U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth said on Wednesday he sees the Panama Canal as key terrain that Panama should secure together with the United States and not with China, adding it was important to protect it from "malign" influence.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warns against China's growing presence in the Western Hemisphere, which poses a threat to the Panama Canal. Hegseth announces an agreement with Panama regarding the canal's security.