LONDON — US President Donald Trump’s administration is on a mission to weaken China’s global network of ports and bring more strategic terminals under Western control, according to three sources familiar with the plan.
The drive is part of the most ambitious effort to expand US maritime influence since the 1970s and is designed to address growing fears in Washington that it would be at a disadvantage to China in the event of a conflict.
Trump administration officials believe the US commercial shipping fleet is ill-equipped to provide logistical support for the military in time of war and Washington’s dependence on foreign ships and ports is excessive, the people said.
Options the White House is considering include supporting private US or Western firms to buy Chinese stakes in ports, the three people said. They did not mention any specific firms other than to cite BlackRock’s proposed deal to buy the port assets of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison in 23 countries, including by the Panama Canal, as a good example.
The sources asked not to be named because they are not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.
The White House and US Treasury did not respond to requests for comment.
Besides Panama, US officials and lawmakers are concerned about Chinese maritime infrastructure holdings in places including Greece and Spain, the Caribbean, and US West Coast ports, according to the sources.
China conducts normal co-operation with other countries within the framework of international law, a spokesperson with China’s diplomatic mission in Washington said.
“China has always been firmly opposed to illegal and unjustifiable unilateral sanctions and so-called long-arm jurisdiction and moves that infringe on and undermine other countries’ legitimate rights and interests through economic coercion, hegemonism and bullying,” the spokesperson said.
Officials in Beijing did not respond to a request for comment.
“The US government sees Chinese investments in global ports as a huge threat to its national security,” said Stuart Poole-Robb, founder of risk and intelligence advisers KCS Group.
“The concern is that China could leverage its control over these assets for espionage, military advantage or to disrupt supply chains during geopolitical crises,” he said, citing conversations with US security counterparts.
The US intends to look at Chinese interests in the Greek port of Piraeus, the three sources said. Situated in Athens, in the eastern Mediterranean, Piraeus is a pivotal hub on the trade route linking Europe, Africa and Asia. COSCO, one of China’s biggest port and shipping groups, holds a 67 percent stake in the Piraeus Port Authority company.
