Ninety-six-year-old Li Ka-shing earned the nickname “superman” for his uncanny sense of when to sell. Not for the first time, one of his deals has angered Beijing.

Beijing’s threat to stop a tycoon’s sale of his ports business has dealmakers wondering if they can still operate without political interference.

Hong Kong political heavyweights have raised concerns over Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Holdings’ plan to sell its Panama Canal ports, warning the sale should not be viewed purely through a commercial lens as it is of strategic importance to the nation’s development and security.