The United States will "take back" the Panama Canal.

 US President Donald Trump stressed during his inauguration speech on Monday that the United States will "take back" the Panama Canal.

Trump again pointed out that China has taken control of this vital waterway.

Trump explained, "We did not give it (the canal) to China, we gave it to Panama... and we will take it back."

It was not surprising that Trump demanded in his first speech after returning to the presidency to "take back control of the Panama Canal," as he considers it "a vital national asset of the United States."

The Republican president had threatened weeks ago that if Panama did not manage the canal in an acceptable manner, he would demand that the US ally hand it over and return it to US sovereignty.

In a post on his social networking site (Truth Social), Trump also warned that he would not allow the canal to fall into the "wrong hands," in what appeared to be a warning of potential Chinese influence on the important waterway.

Trump said that the Panama Canal is considered a vital national asset of the United States, due to its crucial role in the US economy and national security.

The United States is the canal’s primary user, with more than 70 percent of transits to or from U.S. ports, he noted.

Trump’s pledges appear to be linked to concerns about China’s growing influence in global trade and strategic infrastructure.

Beijing has significantly increased its presence in Latin America over the past two decades, through investments in ports, infrastructure projects and trade agreements, and a Hong Kong-based company operates the two main ports on either side of the Panama Canal, Balbo on the Pacific side and Cristobal on the Atlantic side.

The United States took responsibility for building the canal at the beginning of the 20th century, under former President Theodore Roosevelt, and managed the area surrounding the passage for decades.

However, after decades of tensions, the administration of Democratic President Jimmy Carter signed two treaties in 1977 with Panama’s then-de facto ruler Omar Torrijos, transferring control of the vital shipping lane to Panama.

Under the terms of the treaties, Panama gained control of the canal in 1999, while the United States retained the right to defend it from any threat.