Trump, since coming to power in January, has repeatedly claimed that China has too much influence over the canal

It was the first public announcement of promises hinted at by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino has denied that any other nation was interfering in the canal

Beyond the glaciers and polar bears, it’s about “unlimited” untapped resources—something Trump likely equates to a hidden treasure chest in a pirate movie.

The anniversary comes two days after the death of former US president Jimmy Carter, at age 100, who signed the canal treaties that led to the vital waterway's transfer on December 31, 1999.

Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino on Sunday dismissed recent threats made by US President-elect Donald Trump to retake control of the Panama Canal over complaints of “unfair” treatment of American ships.

The Panama Canal, which was completed by the United States in 1914, was returned to the Central American country under a 1977 deal signed by Democratic president Jimmy Carter.

The offshoot conflict in the Red Sea has meant higher freight costs and increased expenses for insuring commercial trade goods.

The Panama Canal delivered $2.5 billion to the national treasury for last year's operations, the government said Monday, despite record-low water levels that limited ship transits.