We did not give the Panama Canal to China, we are taking it back: Donald Trump

Donald Trump on Monday took oath as the 47th President of the United States and said that the country will take back the Panama canal, alleging that China had gained control of the waterway.

"China is operating the Panama Canal, we didn’t c, we gave it to Panama and we are taking it back," said Trump said in his inaugural address.

Earlier this month, Trump had threatened to reimpose U.S. control over it, sparking a wave of protests from Latin American leaders, particularly Panama.

Trump’s statement resonated with past U.S. claims to the canal. As he remarked at a conservative gathering in Phoenix, if Panama were not to honor the spirit of the agreements, the U.S. might demand the canal "be returned to the United States." His comments sparked an immediate backlash from Panama, with President José Raúl Mulino firmly rejecting the threat.
What Is the Panama Canal?
The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometer (51-mile) artificial waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlan.