China has sent a senior-level delegation to Panama at a time when relations have been clouded by developments surrounding the Panama Canal, a move seen by observers as an attempt to "understand what is unfolding" and possibly reverse the situation.

The Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison’s planned sale of ports in Panama to a group led by BlackRock, the American finance giant, is under fire from Beijing.

China has sharply criticized a proposal to sell ports in the Panama Canal to American asset management giant BlackRock, attacking the deal as “spineless groveling” and a “betrayal” of the Chinese people.