Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarks soon on his inaugural trip as the United States’ top diplomat. His first stop, Panama could prove to be the most contentious on the itinerary.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino said Thursday there will be no negotiation with the United States over ownership of the Panama Canal, and he hopes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming visit will allow them to focus on shared interests including migration and combating drug trafficking.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday he had "zero doubt" that China has a contingency plan to shut down the Panama Canal in the event of a conflict with the U.S. and that Washington intends to address what it sees as a national security threat.

China's influence on the Panama Canal is a major risk to U.S. national security, Sen. Ted Cruz told lawmakers during a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill.

Panama has owned and administered the Panama Canal for nearly three decades. President Trump wants to change that to counter growing Chinese influence in Latin America.

President Donald Trump's suggestion of the U.S. taking control of the Panama Canal has a legal basis partly due to potential treaty violations involving Chinese activities in Panama.

The Tuesday hearing delved into security issues and foreign influence on the foremost maritime channel connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

US senators heard sharply different analyses about Chinese influence over the Panama Canal on Wednesday, with some experts suggesting solutions ranging from enhanced trade partnerships to military intervention to regain control of the strategic waterway.

President Trump admires one of his long-forgotten predecessors. He has resurrected the memory of President William McKinley, whose term bridged the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. Trump evidently sees him as a kindred spirit. That is passing strange, since in most regards McKinley was the quintessential anti-Trump.

"Our job—where we can'is to provide Latin America with a choice," a U.K. government minister said on Thursday.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserts that President Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland and reasserting control over the Panama Canal stems from legitimate national security threats posed by China's growing influence in these strategic areas.