Secretary of State Marco Rubio is arguing that the presence of two Hong Kong companies and other Chinese firms violates a treaty Panama has with the U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino in Panama over the weekend, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a readout of their meeting.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Panama’s president in a face-to-face meeting that the Central American ally must reduce alleged Chinese influence over the Panama Canal or face potential retaliation from the Trump administration.