China says CK Hutchison's ports deal must not try to avoid antitrust review

China's top market regulator said on Sunday it was paying close attention to CK Hutchison's planned sale of most of its ports operations to a BlackRock-led consortium and parties to the deal should not try to avoid an antitrust review.

The sale by the Hong Kong conglomerate, which contains two ports along the strategically important Panama Canal, has become highly politicised amid intensifying US-Sino trade tensions.

"No concentration of undertakings shall be implemented without approval, otherwise legal liability will be incurred," the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement.