The Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison’s planned sale of ports in Panama to a group led by BlackRock, the American finance giant, is under fire from Beijing.

Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing has raised Beijing’s ire by agreeing to sell its control over ports in Panama to appease President Donald Trump. But there may be little the Chinese authorities can do to punish him for it.

Shares in Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison fell 5 per cent on Friday after China criticised the sale of its Panama Canal ports and said it should “think twice” about the $22.8bn deal with US asset manager BlackRock.