Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday rejected China's threat to make the Central American country pay a "heavy price" after a Hong Kong company was evicted from two ports on the Panama Canal.

China has backed a high-profile legal case against the Panamanian government over control of the Panama Canal.

China is asking state firms to halt talks over new projects in Panama as part of Beijing’s broader retaliation after the Central American country nullified CK Hutchison Holdings contract to operate two ports along its strategic canal,

Panama’s president has vowed that critical ports at both ends of the Panama Canal will continue to operate without interruption.

Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer

Panama takes on the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series on Wednesday at Estadio Panamericano de los Charros.

China on Wednesday accused the United States of acting with a “Cold War mentality” and “ideological bias” regarding the situation of the Panama Canal, following the Panamanian Supreme Court’s ruling that annulled the concession of two ports near the canal held by Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchison.

Participants included authorities from the Ministry of Culture of Panama (MiCultura), the Panama Tourism Authority, the Municipality of Colón, and the Ministry of Housing and Land-Use Planning, alongside professionals in architecture,