After more than two decades of controlling the entrance to the Panama Canal, Hong Kong company CK Hutchison has finally sold its stake to a consortium led by American investment giant BlackRock.
The deal value?
Only $22.8 billion.
Not even $23 billion. Is it worth it or is there another agenda?
The move comes amid geopolitical tensions, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly accusing China of controlling the vital trade route and demanding the US take back control.
Panama, however, insists that the 82km canal will remain under its sovereignty.
The deal involves 43 ports in 23 countries, including two terminals in Panama that have long been the heart of global trade.
CK Hutchison claims this is just business as usual. But with the US increasingly aggressive towards China, is this just a commercial transaction or the beginning of a larger power struggle?
