CK Hutchison escalates legal action over Panama ports seizure
Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s conglomerate accuses Panama authorities of ignoring requests for communication and keeping group in the dark
The group, led by the family of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, said on Friday it had submitted a supplement to its earlier petition against the Panamanian state for international arbitration.
The supplement alleged that Panama continued to ignore the firm’s requests for communication while keeping the group in the dark about its occupation of the ports, property and personnel of its subsidiary, Panama Ports Company (PPC).
CK Hutchison also said the Panamanian state made “various inaccurate remarks” related to PPC, which had aggravated the circumstances.
“PPC continues to challenge the unlawful confiscation of its proprietary and legally protected documents and materials by the Panama state,” the group said.
CK Hutchison’s legal action was sparked by a Panamanian Supreme Court ruling in January, which declared the law approving the concession held by PPC as unconstitutional. The concession was renewed in 2021 for 25 years until 2047.