The lease contracts for ports at opposite ends of the Panama Canal held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison are unconstitutional, Panama’s Supreme Court ruled late on Thursday. Since returning to office one year ago, Trump has asserted that the Panama Canal has fallen under Chinese control, a claim rejected by both Beijing and Panama City. The high court ruling further complicates CK Hutchison’s efforts to complete a roughly $22.8 billion sale of its majority shares in more than 40 ports worldwide. In March last year, the company reached an agreement to sell stakes in the facilities to a U.S.-led consortium that includes asset management giant BlackRock. The deal triggered a sharp backlash from Chinese state media, which labeled it a betrayal of national interests, and has remained in limbo pending approval by Beijing.