Far from random, China’s global port network is clustering near the world’s riskiest trade routes

A review of 133 countries’ ports found a correlation between investment from China and proximity to chokepoints.

By: Dylan Spencer, Georgia Southern University; Gohar Petrossian, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Stephen Pires, Florida International University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 4, 2026

Words: 1,168

Last Updated: 6 days, 8 hours ago

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By Dylan Spencer, Georgia Southern University; Gohar Petrossian, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Stephen Pires, Florida International University

In late February 2026, the Panamanian government took control of two ports in the Panama Canal that had been operated by a Hong Kong conglomerate for two decades. The move is the latest in a long-simmering legal battle after Panama’s high court voided the company’s contracts.

Far from just a local dispute, however, the episode …

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