Yep - people gotta realize that the P&O holdings are well beyond the 6 (or is now 7?) US ports, and commerce connected to the US will be flowing through those ports too. That's one thing that gets me about all the hysterics.
The "flap" - yes, it's always a case of "follow the money". It's always about someone having something to lose, or something to gain, and the lengths they'll go to further their interests.
The Chinese theory - was thinking out loud on that one. I did look around some before posting thoughts on that theory. This sort of transaction is a big, big deal. I'm not sure if all that many people even comprehend the scale of it. BIG money, BIG assets, and an opening to dominate freight and shipping as we know it. I was looking at things from a business standpoint - when there are stakes like this up for grabs, I don't put anything past anybody, particularly the Chinese. Thing was, that there was a bidding war for P&O, and Temasek Holdings of Singapore was after P&O, but they couldn't come up with the cash - the Dubai crew was too rich for their blood in the end, with the bidding ending at an accepted 520 pence per unit of deferred stock - a premium of 10.6 per cent. to the Temasek offer of 470 pence for each unit of deferred stock. After that the P&O directors would consider no other offers unless it would meet or beat 546 pence per unit. That's the part that got me - the Chinese would know the target price that would turn things around, only if that deal with DP World would only fall through. The way I was looking at it, if this would fall through it might buy the time and breathing room for the Chinese to pull in some more markers. I've personally seen stuff happen like that before - a big transaction that was "done" for all for practical purposes, and then right up to the end *poof*, it's not, with one or both parties walking away for what ever reasons, and at times another party that had had interest diving in to cinch the deal instead. The P&O stockholders didn't go wobbly on approving the deal with DP World, so now it's up to some court - as long as they don't go wobbly, either. I've still got a wait-and-see stance on all that. There's always a chance that all this "Portgate" could be over a transaction that "could have been" or "almost was".
The way I was looking at it, if this would fall through it might buy the time and breathing room for the Chinese to pull in some more markers. I see what you're saying, but I don't think the Chinese engineered this flap. They couldn't have known - as most Americans didn't know - that the Dems could find language that would get us into hysteria.
Only politicians could engineer such a response.
And, of course, the Chinese would be happy if we got rid of the UAR company. They'd take the contract over cheap. (Wonder if the Stevedore's union would like that?)