Public-private partnerships could take over two key ports near the Panama Canal if courts invalidate a contract with Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison's to operate them, Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino said on Thursday.
Panama's comptroller general, Anel Flores, said on Wednesday he had filed suit to the nation's Supreme Court against a contract to operate ports near the Panama Canal, held by a local firm controlled by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison.
CK Hutchison's plan to sell most of its $22.8 billion ports business is unlikely to be finalised anytime soon, with political brinkmanship set to continue, and sources saying that a Sunday deadline for exclusive talks was likely to be extended.
CK Hutchison confirmed on Thursday that Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte's family-run MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is the main investor in a group seeking to buy 43 ports from the Hong Kong conglomerate.
Hong Kong's CK Hutchison said on Monday that its closely monitored ports deal would strictly adhere to all required compliance standards and would never be executed illegally.
China's foreign ministry has asked all parties involved in CK Hutchison's planned sale of most of its ports operations to a BlackRock-led consortium to "act prudently," state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.
China's top market regulator said on Sunday it was paying close attention to CK Hutchison's planned sale of most of its ports operations to a BlackRock-led consortium and parties to the deal should not try to avoid an antitrust review.
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