Reuters reported that the Wen Wei Po, which has repeatedly criticized Cheung Kong Holdings, owned by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, for selling a port to a US consortium, and whose articles have been forwarded by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, published another commentary on Thursday, saying that in the Cheung Kong Holdings incident, the applicable laws are not limited to antitrust laws, but laws involving national security can also be used when necessary.
The commentary also pointed out that the central government has expressed "serious concern and warnings" about the Cheung Kong case, "but Cheung Kong remains stubborn and unrepentant, turning a deaf ear to it, intending to continue down this path until it hits a wall, and even finding various ways to evade scrutiny."
The commentary continued that at this critical moment when the United States is wielding the tariff stick to exert extreme pressure on China, Cheung Kong Holdings' sale of port assets to the United States has given Trump the opportunity to implement a "stranglehold" on China's shipping industry. This behavior that disregards national justice and national interests is tantamount to collaborating with and aiding the enemy.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation said last Sunday that all parties involved in the Cheung Kong Ports transaction must not take any means to circumvent antitrust review; the concentration must not be implemented before approval, otherwise they will bear legal responsibility; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that he hopes all parties involved will act prudently and communicate fully with relevant Chinese departments.
