Panama has complained to the United Nations 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,

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

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

Panama has complained to the United Nations 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's President Jose Raul Mulino has denied that any other nation was interfering in the canal, which he said was operated on a principle of neutrality. "The canal is and will remain Panama's," Mulino said in response to Trump's threats.

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.