US and China in competition for future technology, Beijing blocks Manus, takes it out of Meta's 'hands'

China has blocked the planned acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus by US company Meta. The authority responsible for reviewing the security of foreign investment has stopped the deal and asked the parties to cancel the transaction, the National Development and Reform Commission announced.

This decision highlights the efforts of the People's Republic of China to prevent the outflow of talent and technology to the United States. The two countries are competing for leadership in the technology of the future, artificial intelligence.

Leaders should not leave China

Meta, the parent company of social platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, announced in December the acquisition of startup Manus. The purchase price was expected to be over two billion dollars.

Beijing sees the issue as sensitive from a security perspective. According to reports, during the consideration of the bid, several key executives of the company were temporarily prevented from leaving China. Among them was co-founder Xiao Hong.

The company headquarters moves to Singapore

Startup Manus is considered a specialist in so-called “artificial intelligence agents.” These programs are not limited to answering questions, but can also perform more complex tasks with minimal human intervention.

The company originated in China, but later moved its headquarters to Singapore. It is being touted by state media as the “next DeepSeek.” Chinese software company DeepSeek attracted worldwide attention in early 2025 after releasing a powerful artificial intelligence system./DW

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