China has intensified scrutiny of the sale of several Panamanian ports owned by CK Hutchison Holdings, controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, to a BlackRock-backed group. The review of the transaction, which is ongoing, has created uncertainty about its completion, and the Chinese market regulator has made it clear that the deal cannot proceed without its approval, warning that the consequences could be severe.
The conflict has drawn international attention as it involves the United States and China in a dispute over control of the Panama Canal. This canal is strategic in global maritime trade, and the two countries are its main users. Political pressure on Li Ka-shing is increasing as tensions between the United States and China escalate in various sectors, including business.
U.S. President Donald Trump has requested preferential treatment for U.S. ships in the Panama Canal waterway, causing friction with China. In turn, China has ordered its state-owned enterprises to suspend collaborations with companies linked to Li Ka-shing and his family in response to the plan to sell the Panamanian ports to the BlackRock-backed global consortium.
These measures highlight an increasingly complicated business environment for international companies like CK Hutchison Holdings amid escalating trade tensions between the two largest economies in the world. The statements and actions of both countries reflect the struggle for influence and control in the region, putting Li Ka-shing in the spotlight of this geopolitical dispute.
