July 18 (Reuters) - China is threatening to block the

sale of more than 40 ports, owned by Hong Kong-based CK

Hutchison ( CKHUF ), to BlackRock ( BLK ) and Mediterranean

Shipping Company (MSC) if Chinese shipping company Cosco does

not get a stake, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday,

citing unidentified sources.

BlackRock ( BLK ) declined to comment on the report when contacted

by Reuters. CK Hutchison ( CKHUF ), MSC and Cosco did not immediately

respond to requests for comment.

Chinese officials have told BlackRock ( BLK ), MSC and Hutchison

that if Cosco is left out of the deal, Beijing would take steps

to block Hutchison's proposed sale of the ports, the newspaper

said.

China has always been firmly opposed to the "use of economic

coercion, hegemony, bullying, and infringement of the legitimate

rights and interests of other countries," its foreign ministry

spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing on Friday, when

asked about the report.

Tycoon Li Ka-shing's CK Hutchison ( CKHUF ) in March announced it

would sell its 80% holding in the ports business, which

encompasses 43 ports in 23 countries. The business has an

enterprise value of $22.8 billion, including debt.

After much scrutiny and criticism in China, CK Hutchison ( CKHUF )

confirmed in May that Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte's

family-run MSC, one of the world's top container shipping

groups, was the main investor in a group seeking to buy the

ports.

BlackRock ( BLK ), MSC and Hutchison are all open to Cosco taking a

stake, the WSJ said.

However, the parties would likely not reach a deal before a

previously agreed July 27 deadline for exclusive talks between

BlackRock ( BLK ), MSC and Hutchison, the report added.

The proposed sale has also drawn the attention of U.S.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his desire

to reduce Chinese influence around the Panama Canal and termed

the deal a "reclaiming" of the waterway after it was first

announced.

Reuters could not immediately verify the WSJ report.