BEIJING - China urges the United States to stop spreading rumors, causing trouble and maliciously associating China with the Panama Canal issue to excuse its own control over the canal, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said in Beijing on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the comments at a daily news briefing, responding to remarks made by the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his recent visit to Panama.

Hegseth reportedly said that China has carried out espionage activities in Panama by controlling key infrastructure in the Panama Canal area, endangering the security, prosperity and sovereignty of Panama and the United States.

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Lin expressed firm opposition to the malicious attacks on China from senior US officials, which he said have discredited and undermined China-Panama cooperation, once again exposing the United States as a bully nation.

"Everyone knows who wants to control the Panama Canal," he said, adding that the United States should look in the mirror to see who is threatening the sovereignty, security and development interests of other countries.

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"Compromise and concession will never secure sovereignty or respect; they will only fuel the arrogance of bullies," he said.