Panama Canal Chief Rebuts Claims About China, Shipping Rates

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."

- By COSTAS PARIS

"The accusations that China is running the canal are unfounded," Ricaurte Vásquez Morales said in an interview Wednesday. "China has no involvement whatsoever in our operations."

"Rules are rules, and there are no exceptions," Vásquez Morales said. "We cannot discriminate for the Chinese, or the Americans, or anyone else. This will violate the neutrality treaty, international law and it will lead to chaos."

Since winning the November election, Trump repeatedly has raised the idea of taking over the Panama Canal from Panama.

During a Tuesday news conference, Trump said: "China's basically taken it over. China's at both ends of the Panama Canal. China's running the Panama Canal."