The National Development and Reform Commission halted the reported $2bn takeover of the Singapore-based AI startup and ordered all parties to withdraw after a review begun earlier this year.
Beijing said Manus's Chinese roots and cross-border rules justified intervention, reflecting efforts to keep advanced AI technology and talent from moving overseas.
The move is a setback to Meta's AI agent ambitions and underscores intensifying US-China competition over AI, likely complicating future tech deals involving Chinese-linked companies.
With China blocking a Singapore deal, is any foreign tech acquisition involving Chinese talent now at risk of reversal?
As China treats AI like national infrastructure, must every global tech startup now declare a 'digital nationality'?
Meta's deal is dead, but the AI is integrated. Can you truly unscramble a technology omelet once it's made?