Chinese authorities increased pressure on CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. over its plan to sell its Panama ports stake by sharing a second newspaper commentary attacking the deal.

The deal comes after U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to take control of the Panama Canal and end what he sees as China’s influence over the waterway critical to global trade.

China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) reposted a commentary criticising CK Hutchison's port deal with U.S. firm BlackRock as a betrayal of China, sending shares of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate sharply lower on Friday.