WASHINGTON, United States, April 29, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States led a group of regional countries in calling China's actions during a dispute over the Panama Canal a "threat," prompting backlash from Beijing on Wednesday.

Washington and Beijing accuse each other of seeking to control the Panama Canal, a vital trade link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Panama took control of two of the canal's ports previously operated by a Hong Kong-based conglomerate following a decision by the Panamanian Supreme Court in January.

Since then, Washington has alleged China detained two Panama-flagged ships in response to the takeover, while China has threatened Panama with payback and rejected the US claims.

The United States led countries including Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday in calling China's actions "a blatant attempt to politicize maritime trade and infringe on the sovereignty of the nations of our hemisphere".

"Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system, and as such must remain free from any undue external pressure," the US State Department said in the joint statement.

"Any attempts to undermine Panama's sovereignty are a threat to us all."

China's foreign ministry slammed the statement as a "smear" on Wednesday.

"It is the United States that is politicizing and over-securitizing the port issue," ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news briefing.

"It is the United States that is hypocritically posturing and spreading rumors and smears everywhere."

Trump returned to office last year vowing to seize back US control of the Panama Canal, which was handed over in a deal reached by former president Jimmy Carter, who vowed that the US would respect its sovereignty.

After Panama's moves against the Hong Kong-based company, Trump declared victory and the canal issue largely disappeared as a point of contention between the countries.

In a national security strategy last year, the Trump administration vowed aggressively to promote US interests in Latin America against outside powers led by China.