Panama Wrests Control of Canal Ports From Hong Kong Group

Panamanian maritime authorities on February 23, 2026, took control of two ports on the Panama Canal from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison after its concession was annulled following pressure from the United States. Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP

Panamanian authorities took control of two ports on the Panama Canal from CK Hutchison on Monday after the Hong Kong-based conglomerate’s concession was annulled amid a row between the United States and China.

The court ruling was the latest legal development affecting the interoceanic waterway, which handles about 40% of U.S. container traffic and 5% of world trade.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by CGSP Staff

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
6
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors

You Might Like

Legal Wrangles Increase Around Panama Ports

The signing of a deal to sell two ports in Panama by the Hong Kong ports company CK Hutchison to the U.S. investment group BlackRock could be delayed by legal proceedings. While China’s ...

Panama Ports Deal Hits a Wall

The Trump administration’s efforts to lessen Chinese influence in the Panama Canal have reportedly hit an impasse. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Chinese government is demanding a majority stake for the Chinese ...

After Panama Port Ruling, False Claims Spread About China’s Role in the Canal

The Panamanian Supreme Court ruling that annulled Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison’s contracts to operate a pair of ports on either side of the Panama Canal prompted loud, triumphant reaction from conservative and MAGA ...

DRC Cobalt Shipments to China Resume Via the Port of Durban

Cargo vessels loaded with Congolese cobalt are once again making their way to China now that port operations in Durban are beginning to recover. The port was shut for weeks after severe floods last month blocked the ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP
IP: Detecting...
Cookie Exists: Checking...
Cookie Value: Checking...