Cheung and its subsidiary Panama Ports Company: The Panamanian government did not respond before the original deadline set in the international chamber of commerce, so the company initiated international arbitration.

On March 17, according to Cheung Kong's website, its subsidiary Panama Ports Company announced that after the improper takeover of the container terminals at Balboa Port and Cristobal Port by the Republic of Panama, its latest and continuing actions have been constantly undermining its reliability as a destination for foreign investment. The announcement states that the Panamanian government did not respond to the international arbitration initiated by Panama Ports Company within the original deadline scheduled by the International Chamber of Commerce before March 13, 2026. The Panamanian government claimed that it was unprepared and unable to respond in time, citing reasons such as not having hired lawyers, being unfamiliar with the dispute, and needing time to come up with a plan to apply for a partial extension. It is understood that Panama Ports Company had previously initiated international arbitration against the Panamanian government under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, seeking compensation of at least $2 billion.