Chinese state media has attacked Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison’s plan to sell its ports near the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led group, calling it “tantamount to handing a knife to an opponent.” The social media account linked to state broadcaster CCTV said China had significant national interests in the transaction. The post was deleted minutes after going live.
CK Hutchison has delayed part of the sale process, but the deal has not been called off, according to sources. Despite this, growing opposition to the deal in China suggests a contentious review by the market regulator is underway.
The criticism highlights the concerns of Chinese authorities over foreign companies operating in strategic sectors. As a Hong Kong company, CK Hutchison must be cautious about how it handles deals that could harm China’s national interest.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/chinese-state-media-likens-ck-hutchison-panama-port-deal-handing-knife-opponent-2025-03-29