China Blocks Meta's Acquisition of Manus

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) blocked Meta's acquisition of Chinese AI startup Manus on April 27 and ordered the deal to be cancelled.

The move reflects Beijing's determination to prevent AI talent and intellectual property (IP) from flowing to foreign companies, in response to U.S. export controls.

• Meta acquired Manus for over $2 billion in December 2025.
• In March, Manus CEO Xiao Hong and chief scientist Ji Yichao were barred from leaving China while the acquisition review was underway.
• Manus was once called China's next DeepSeek, and later moved its headquarters to Singapore.

Analysts interpreted this intervention as a sign that US-China controls, once confined to semiconductors, have now expanded into the AI domain. Meta stated that the deal complied with all relevant regulations and said it expects an appropriate resolution.