Beijing Puts Its Thumb on Panama Canal Deal

Beijing intervenes in the sale of the rights to operate the two parts of the Panama Canal, but there’s not much it can do, an expert says.

An aerial view shows containers at the Balboa Port, operated by Panama Ports Company, at the Panama Canal, in Panama City, Panama, on Feb. 1, 2025. Enea Lebrun/Reuters

News Analysis

Beijing is meddling in a pending sale of port rights from a Hongkonger-owned company to a U.S. business consortium led by BlackRock, according to a China expert.