The head of the Federal Maritime Commission will tell a U.S. Senate committee that the United States has options to address the growing presence of China and Chinese firms in Panama. President Donald Trump has vowed that the United States would take back the Panama Canal but has given no further details on when or how he intended to reclaim the canal - which is the sovereign territory of an ally.

The United States has various options to reduce Chinese influence in Panama and to counteract the growing presence of Chinese companies in this Central American country. The head of the Federal Maritime Commission will present them to the US Senate committee,

The head of the agency that regulates US ocean-going transport says Washington ‘is not without options’ to deal with Chinese influence.