Li Ka-shing appears in video; Commentator says it’s a non-response response.

Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing’s company, CK Hutchison Group, plans to sell ports to an American consortium, facing pressure and anti-monopoly scrutiny from the Chinese Communist Party, with no response from CK Hutchison. Li Ka-shing appeared in a video at a foundation event two days ago (April 3), reiterating the motto “Ever-changing society, unwavering commitment”. Some analysts believe this is an “unspoken response” to the Chinese Communist Party’s repression.

On Thursday (April 3), Li Ka-shing appeared in a video at an event hosted by the Li Ka-shing Foundation and the Temasek Trust, a fund under the Singapore National Investment Corporation. This was his first public appearance since March 4 when CK Hutchison Group announced the transfer of 43 ports including the Panama Canal to a consortium led by the American firm BlackRock, sparking controversy.

The Li Ka-shing Foundation and Temasek Trust Foundation pledged to provide 12 million dollars to purchase equipment and fund clinical trials, providing free treatment for 40 cancer patients, and introducing this cancer treatment equipment to two hospitals in Singapore.

Li Ka-shing delivered a speech in Mandarin through a pre-recorded video at the event, lasting about four minutes. He mentioned the similar mission of Temasek Trust and the Li Ka-shing Foundation, where “Temasek Fund ‘Creating a better future for each generation’ resonates deeply with my ‘Ever-changing society, unwavering commitment'”.

Since March 13, the Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece in Hong Kong, the Ta Kung Pao, published a series of articles and comments criticizing CK Hutchison’s sale of ports as “disregarding national interests”, stating that the Chinese authorities may review the transaction under the Anti-Monopoly Law and the National Security Law. Several articles were reposted by the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.

On March 28, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation announced that it would review the related transactions of CK Hutchison.

Pro-Beijing Hong Kong media South China Morning Post reported on March 28 that CK Hutchison would not officially sign the agreement to sell the operating rights of its two strategically important ports in the Panama Canal on April 2 as originally planned. However, April 2 was not the true final deadline for CK Hutchison to negotiate with BlackRock but rather the earliest date the agreement could be signed.

So far, CK Hutchison has not publicly announced any signed or canceled deals, and there has been no public response from CK Hutchison regarding this matter, with great interest on the final outcome of this century-defining transaction.

Political commentator Feng Xiqian shared a screenshot of Li Ka-shing’s video appearance on Facebook on April 3, stating that this was an “unspoken response”.

Feng Xiqian introduced that the motto “Ever-changing society, unwavering commitment” was the title of an article written by Li Ka-shing for BusinessWeek in 2007, where he mentioned, “The complex and ever-changing wheels of politics and economics oppress many people, making their lives more difficult and desperate, causing them to feel lost and angry. We cannot ignore and must empathize.” He also said, “I believe that the strong should especially learn to listen to the silent cries of the weak; a strong person without compassion is nothing but an ordinary person.”

Feng Xiqian pointed out that in recent years, more and more Hong Kong people admire this Hong Kong tycoon not just because of his wealth but more significantly for the values he upholds, which is what most Hong Kong people believe in. It was unexpected that even Li Ka-shing now feels suppressed. Li Ka-shing’s appearance at the press conference at a time when he is under pressure from all sides has already shown the best response through actions.

Some experts believe that the controversy surrounding Li Ka-shing’s port sale is not favorable for the Chinese Communist Party. Regardless of whether Li Ka-shing ultimately completes the transaction as planned, the impact on Beijing is negative.

American economist David Huang previously told Epoch Times that whether Li Ka-shing sells the port or not, it is not a good situation for China. Beijing’s firm interference with Li Ka-shing’s transaction freedom, if the port is not sold in the end, is equivalent to exporting the “party leads everything” model overseas, leading to Beijing’s credit collapse in the global capital market system. If the sale is successful, the US gains control of the Panama Canal, essentially eliminating Beijing’s influence from Central and South America through the Belt and Road Initiative.