Panama has complained to the United Nations over United States President Donald Trump's "worrying" threat to seize the Panama Canal, even as it launched an audit of the Hong Kong-linked operator of two ports on the interoceanic waterway.

Panama’s government and President José Raúl Mulino have repeatedly denied that there is any Chinese presence at the canal.

Panama has complained to the UN over US President Donald Trump’s “worrying” threat to seize the Panama Canal, even as it launched an audit of the Hong Kong-linked operator of two ports on the interoceanic waterway.

Panama has raised concerns at the United Nations over President Donald Trump's threat to reclaim the Panama Canal while also auditing a Hong Kong-linked company's Panama Ports operation. Trump alleges China's growing influence over the canal,

While conducting an audit of the Hong Kong-linked operator of two ports on the interoceanic waterway, Panama has taken issue with US President Donald Trump's "worrying" threat to grab the Panama Canal and has taken its grievances to the United Nations.

Panama has complained to the United Nations over President Donald Trump's "worrying" threat to seize the Panama Canal.

In his inaugural address on Monday, Donald Trump repeated his complaint that China was effectively "operating" the Panama Canal through its growing presence around the waterway, which the United States handed over at the end of 1999.

The Panamanian comptroller's office that oversees public entities announced “an exhaustive audit" at the Panama Ports Company.

Billionaire Li Ka-shing’s port business in Panama said it’s committed to operating in the country, after local authorities launched an audit of the company amid concerns raised by US President Donald Trump.

Panama sent a team of auditors on Monday to the local offices of Panama Ports, a subsidiary of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Holdings.