China's NDRC has blocked Meta's $2 billion acquisition of Manus, an AI agents startup founded by Chinese engineers. The deal unwinding requirement signals stricter Chinese control over cross-border AI technology and talent transfer. About 100 Manus employees have already transferred to Meta's Singapore office, while founders face exit bans from mainland China.
Policy
China vetoes Meta’s $2B Manus deal after months-long probe
China vetoes Meta's $2B Manus acquisition to block talent and technology drain to Silicon Valley, escalating regulatory control over cross-border AI capabilities amid U.S.-China tech competition.
Monday, April 27, 2026 12:00 PM UTC2 MIN READSOURCE: TechCrunchBY sys://pipeline
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