Chinese authorities increased pressure on CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. over its plan to sell its Panama ports stake by sharing a second newspaper commentary attacking the deal.

The US$23 billion sale is not final, but needs no Chinese or Hong Kong approval, leaving CK Hutchison to decide whether to proceed, analysts say.

Shares of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison slid more than 6% on Friday after China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office posted a commentary in state media criticising the company's recent port sale as a betrayal of China.