Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that China will firmly protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies, when asked to comment on the statement by Danish shipping company Maersk that it is willing to assume temporary management of the two ports in Panama operated by CK Hutchison, following Panama's Supreme Court ruling that CK Hutchison's concession is unconstitutional.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin emphasized at a routine press conference on Monday that "we've made clear China's position on relevant ports in Panama."

Panama has appointed a unit of Danish firm Maersk to temporarily run two strategic ports previously operated by CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd, domestic news portal caixinglobal.com reported on Monday.

The remarks were the second comments by China's Foreign Ministry within days over the question concerning the operation of the Panama terminals.

On Friday, ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Zhou Zhiwei, an expert on Latin American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the repeated statements by China's foreign ministry over the operation rights of the Panama ports have clearly highlighted China's resolution to safeguard its legitimate and lawful interests.

"China's economic and trade cooperation with countries in the region are based on market principles and protected by laws, as such, China will resolutely protect its interests," Zhou said, noting that this is a clear signal to related countries, including the US, which has designs on Latin American waterways.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government also expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the ruling of Panama's Supreme Court on Friday.

A government spokesperson said the HKSAR government strongly opposes any foreign government's use of coercion, pressure or other unreasonable means in international economic and trade relations, stressing that such actions seriously undermine the lawful business operations and legitimate rights of Hong Kong enterprises in the locality.

Such moves will also severely damage the local business environment, inevitably shake investor confidence, and harm bilateral relations as well as the long-term economic development of both sides, the spokesperson said.

CK Hutchison Holdings made a statement issued on January 29 in Panama about the ruling on the Panama Ports Company (PPC), the local subsidiary of CK Hutchison.

It said the new ruling, based on available information, lacks legal basis and jeopardizes not only PPC and its contract, but also the well-being and stability of thousands of Panamanian families who depend directly and indirectly on port activity, as well as the rule of law and legal certainty in the country.