China slams remarks by US officials on Panama Canal

China blasted on Wednesday remarks by some United States officials over a court ruling regarding two ports at the Panama Canal, saying the move once again revealed Washington's Cold War mentality and ideological bias.

Panama's Supreme Court has annulled key port contracts held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, a ruling US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called "encouraging".

John Moolenaar, who chairs the US House Select Committee on China, said that "China's malign influence is unwelcome in the Western Hemisphere."

"The international community is quite clear about who is seeking to occupy the canal and who is undermining international law in the name of the rule of law," China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a daily news conference.

China will firmly protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies, he said.