China’s decision to block the $2 billion Meta-Manus deal shows how far Washington and Beijing are drifting apart over AI
China has blocked Meta's $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus, highlighting the growing divide between Washington and Beijing over technology control. The National Development and Reform Commission stated that the deal must be unwound, complicating Meta's AI strategy. This incident reflects the increasing decoupling of U.S. and Chinese AI ecosystems as both nations seek to protect their strategic technologies.
- ▪China's National Development and Reform Commission has blocked Meta's acquisition of Manus.
- ▪The deal, valued at around $2 billion, is a significant part of Meta's AI strategy.
- ▪Chinese authorities have barred Manus cofounders from leaving the country amid regulatory scrutiny.
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| Original publisher | Fortune |
| Canonical URL | https://fortune.com/2026/04/28/china-blocks-meta-manus-deal-ai/ |
| Publication time | Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-04-28T07:27:06.495Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
China has blocked Meta’s deal to acquire AI startup Manus. The National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top macroeconomic regulator, unceremoniously posted on Monday that it had “decided to block the foreign acquisition of the Manus project and require the parties to unwind the deal.”Recommended Video The move is a headache for Meta, for whom the Manus acquisition, reportedly valued at around $2 billion, is a key element of its new AI strategy. It’s also not clear how Meta can “unwind” the deal: Manus employees have already joined Meta’s AI team, and backers like Tencent and HongShan Capital have already received their cut of the deal, according to a report from Bloomberg. The blocked deal also shows how quickly U.S.
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