They aren't going to let this one go quietly. US Investment Firms Trapped as China Regulator Blocks Billion-Dollar Panama Canal Sale China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the country’s top market watchdog, announced that it is reviewing the sale to ensure fair competition and protect public interest. The announcement was first reported by a state-owned Chinese newspaper and later confirmed on official government websites. The ports in question are currently controlled by a Hong Kong-based company, which had agreed to sell them as part of a much larger transaction. The deal included the sale of ownership stakes in 43 ports across 23 different countries. The US-led consortium, which includes one of the world’s largest asset management firms, had agreed to take over these ports, including the two in Panama. The investigation by Chinese regulators has now cast uncertainty over the future of this agreement. A source close to the Hong Kong company confirmed that the deal’s official signing, which was planned for the upcoming week, will not proceed as scheduled. The delay has raised questions about China’s role in global trade and the growing tensions between economic superpowers.
