A senior United States official has discussed the importance of an ongoing audit of CK Hutchison’s management of two ports at the Panama Canal with the country’s foreign minister, amid controversy surrounding the Hong Kong company’s sales of the facilities.

Panamanian authorities announced their audit of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison in January after US President Donald Trump declared his intention to take back the Panama Canal, which he claimed was under China’s control.

The row soon escalated after CK Hutchison surprised markets in March by announcing it was selling all its overseas port operations, including the two in Panama, to a group led by investment firm BlackRock in a deal worth US$23 billion. The deal drew the ire of Beijing, which later said it would launch an antitrust probe into the arrangement.

On Friday, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha on further advancing the two countries’ ties, while also addressing the issue of the port deal.

“The Deputy Secretary also recognised Panama’s actions in curbing malign [Communist Party of China] influence and discussed the importance of Panama’s ongoing audit of Hutchison’s management of concessions of two ports at either end of the Panama Canal,” US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said on Friday.

“The Deputy Secretary and the Foreign Minister pledged to work closely to support the safety, security, and prosperity of United States and Panama.”