PANAMA CITY (Reuters) -Public-private partnerships could take over two key ports near the Panama Canal if courts invalidate a contract with Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison's to operate them, Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino said on Thursday.

Panama’s comptroller general asked its Supreme Court to review the government’s contract extension with CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.’s local ports unit, potentially throwing a new wrench into the conglomerate’s controversial deal to sell its global terminals business.

T wo ports, one at either end of the Panama canal, have become a battlefront in the power struggle between China and America. Both countries view them as vital to their trading and security interests.