China poses an ongoing threat to the Panama Canal, but that together the US and Panama will keep the key waterway secure, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said, Euronews reports.

After talks with the Panamanian government, Hegseth pledged to deepen security cooperation with this Central American country.

He said the US will not allow China or any other country to threaten the Panama Canal's operations.

"To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades," he said.

"China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area," Hegseth said "That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable."