China Blocks Meta's $2B Acquisition of AI Agent Startup Manus — Orders Deal Unwound

r/LocalLLaMA·high signal

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a decision today prohibiting Meta's ~$2 billion acquisition of agentic AI startup Manus, ordering all related transaction activities cancelled immediately. Although Manus is headquartered in Singapore, the NDRC ruled its core technology was developed within China, classifying the sale as a restricted technology export under China's export control laws. Meta had completed the deal in late December; China's commerce ministry began evaluating compliance in January. Confirmed by Bloomberg, SCMP, CNBC, and Washington Post.