Panama's decision to leave a key investment deal with China has drawn accusations from Beijing of "pressure and coercion" by the Trump administration.

China is opposed to U.S. "smearing and sabotage" of the Belt and Road Initiative in Panama through "pressure and coercion", its foreign ministry said on Friday, after the South American nation decided to exit the programme.

Following Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the US needs to “ take back ” the Panama canal from Chinese control, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, visited Panama to demand the country reduce China’s influence. On the surface, it seems Rubio has succeeded.

José Raúl Mulino said Panamanian embassy in Beijing had given China the required 90-day notice of decision not to renew involvement in plan.

China firmly opposes U.S. "smearing and sabotage" of its Belt and Road Initiative through "means of pressure and coercion", a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday, when asked about Panama's decision to exit the programme.

In the wake of tensions with the United States over the Panama Canal, Panama is abandoning its participation in China's Belt and Road infrastructure development initiative, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino said on Thursday.

China criticized the U.S. for smearing and sabotage of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Panama, following the South American nations decision to withdraw from the program. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin

China says it "regrets" Panama's decision to pull out of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), accusing the United States of using "pressure and coercion to smear and undermine" the project, a massive infrastructure initiative aimed at expanding Beijing's clout overseas.