Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino stressed that sovereignty over his nation's namesake canal is not up for debate.’The sovereignty of Panama is not up for debate, that is very important. There is no doubt that the canal is operated by our country and it will continue to be so, I do not think there has been a discrepancy in that,’ Mulino said in press statements following talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who visited Panama on Sunday.Mulino also said he would not renew Panamas belt and road initiative with China and invited the state department to promote US investment in the country.Trump has repeatedly insisted the US must retake the canal due to his claims of undue Chinese influence, which Rubio reiterated during the meeting, according to the US State Department.Rubio told Mulino in the talks that the US president has determined Chinas influence threatens the Panama canal and that immediate changes were needed or the US would act.
