ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday slammed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his remarks on the Panama Canal, saying Beijing opposes Washington's “bullying and hegemony.”

Hegseth said Tuesday that the US will take back the Panama Canal from "China's influence."

“The US senior official maliciously attacked China and he vilified and sabotaged China-Panama cooperation,” China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing, according to a video recording.

Addressing a joint news conference alongside Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino in Panama City, Hegseth had said: “China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal, and China will not weaponize this canal."

However, spokesman Lin said: “It is so clear for all to see who wants to control the Panama Canal,” claiming that the US is “threatening other countries’ sovereignty, security and development.”

“China calls on the US to stop spreading rumors that are making trouble and stop linking China to the Panama Canal with ill intention to find an excuse for America’s own control over the Canal,” he said.

Earlier in February, US President Donald Trump said Panama violated its agreement with the US on the Panama Canal and declared that the US will take back control of the canal.

Shortly after Trump’s remarks, US State Secretary Marco Rubio visited Panama and met with President Jose Raul Mulino, which was followed by Panama’s exit from China’s Belt and Road initiative, drawing criticism from Beijing.

Later, the Hong Kong-based firm CK Hutchison sold two Panama ports to a US consortium led by investment firm BlackRock and Trump has said his administration would recover the canal to boost national security.

While the deal between the two firms was yet in progress, Beijing has said it will review the deal signed by CK Hutchison to sell the two ports.