Chinese government blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup 'Manus'
It has been reported that the Chinese government has taken an injunction to block Meta's planned acquisition of Manus, a Chinese-based AI startup. Meta was planning to acquire the company for $2 billion (approximately 320 billion yen).
China blocks Meta's $2 billion takeover of AI startup Manus
China blocks Meta from acquiring AI startup Manus | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/china-meta-manus-ai-acquisition-5f8012791f86f719a24a3ebac06d9b0a
China orders Meta's acquisition of AI company Manus to be withdrawn after security review cites 'ban on foreign investment' | Reuters
https://jp.reuters.com/markets/japan/UG2NGA26BNJSDOEPXUYD2B2UAY-2026-04-27/
Manus founder Xiao Hong was born in Jiao'an, Jiangxi Province, China. A graduate of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, he is an entrepreneur who, after working at various companies, released the first version of 'Manus' in March 2025. By November 2025, his company had grown to the point where it was ranked number one in Asia among the 'World's Most Promising Startups.'
In December 2025, Meta announced its acquisition of Manus, and Xiao became Meta's Vice President.
Meta acquires Manus, an AI startup founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, for over 310 billion yen - GIGAZINE
However, the acquisition deal came under investigation by China's Foreign Investment Security Administration, and the National Development and Reform Commission of China has now announced a ban on foreign investment in Manus.
The authorities stated that this decision was made based on laws and regulations, and although Meta's name was not specifically mentioned, it is intended to block Meta's acquisition of Manus.
The committee is reportedly calling on the parties involved to withdraw from the acquisition deal.
According to news site CNBC, the acquisition of Manus, a company founded in China but headquartered in Singapore, had attracted attention as a so-called 'Singapore cleansing model' because investors in the United States are prohibited from directly supporting Chinese AI companies. Now, with the intervention of the Chinese government, tensions are spreading among investors and venture capitalists who were hoping to utilize the Singapore cleansing model.
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in AI, Posted by logc_nt