Ricaurte Vasquez Morales, head of the Panama Canal Authority, has rejected US President-elect Donald Trump's claims that China allegedly controls the canal and is increasing tariffs on US ships.

Vasquez Morales told The Wall Street Journal newspaper on Wednesday, "The accusations that China is running the Canal are unfounded. China has no involvement whatsoever in our operations. Rules are rules, and there are no exceptions. We cannot discriminate against the Chinese, the Americans, or anyone else. This will violate the neutrality treaty and international law, and it will lead to chaos."

The report stated that the average cost for ships to transit the canal is approximately $750,000, with fees ranging between $300,000 and $1 million.

Morales added, "They [tariffs] apply to all ships from around the world and there are no exceptions."

Additionally, he reportedly mentioned that Panama had not sought funds from the United States to modernize the canal, as the authorities are financing the repairs using their revenues.

Mulino rejects Trump's comments

Following Trump's December 22 statements, in which he said there are unfair fees for US ships passing through the Panama Canal and threatened to demand Washington gain control over the waterway, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino rejected on December 26 talks with the President-elect over ownership of the Panama Canal, which Trump promised to restore to Washington.

Mulino also rejected the idea of lowering canal charges for US vessels and claimed that China had no control over the crucial waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific seas.

"If there is an intention to talk, then there is nothing to talk about," Mulino stated at a weekly news conference.

He added that the canal is "Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians," further adding, "There's no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around this reality, which has cost the country blood, sweat and tears."