Some U.S. lawmakers and officials are touting a nearly half-century-old treaty between the United States and Panama to justify the Trump administration's threat to reclaim the Panama Canal - provided it can show the strategic waterway's operation is under threat.

The U.S. has voiced concerns over Chinas growing influence around the Panama Canal, with Mauricio Claver-Carone, U.S. special envoy for Latin America, warning of national security risks. His remarks come ahead of U.