US, China clash over Peru’s Chancay megaport after court bars regulator oversight

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Igor PatrickFebruary 12, 2026 at 10:04 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

The US and China are in disagreement over the Chancay megaport in Peru. The US expressed concern that a court ruling limiting Peruvian state oversight of the Chinese-controlled port could erode Peru's sovereignty. The port, majority-owned by China's Cosco Shipping Ports, is a $1.3 billion deep-water facility located north of Lima. Inaugurated in November 2024, the port has reduced shipping times between China and Peru and cut logistics costs. The US State Department warned that Peru might be powerless to oversee the port due to "predatory Chinese owners," prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing and escalating geopolitical tensions surrounding the strategic South American port.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Lima 40% Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 40% US State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs 60% Cosco Shipping Ports 70% Port of Chancay ×380% United States ×290% Peru ×690% China ×390%

Keywords

chancay megaport 100% us-china relations 90% sovereignty 80% port oversight 70% geopolitical tensions 70% chinese investment 60% peru 60% cosco shipping ports 50% critical infrastructure 40%