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

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.

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.