Part 11/16:
Beijing has signaled it would block the transaction unless a Chinese stakeholder, Costco, is granted a stake in the deal. Historically, China has used its leverage to influence such infrastructure deals, and recently, Chinese regulators suspended dealings with Hutchison, signaling a potential standoff. Chinese officials have framed their opposition not merely as commercial but as a matter of national security, warning that any Chinese presence in the region’s port infrastructure—especially so close to the Canal—would be unacceptable to Beijing.