China warns Meta about "technology leakage" over the acquisition of AI startups… focusing on the $2 billion deal

It is reported that the Chinese government has begun reviewing whether the acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus by American tech giant Meta Platforms violates export control regulations. This move is seen as an example of China’s sensitivity to the outflow of cutting-edge technology, with some observers suggesting it could impact future technological dominance competition between the two countries.

On the 6th local time, the Financial Times cited multiple sources indicating that China’s Ministry of Commerce is examining whether a series of measures, including Manus’s relocation of headquarters and its acquisition by Meta, violate the country’s export control laws. A key point of controversy is whether the transfer of talent and technology owned by Manus to Singapore falls under China’s export licensing jurisdiction. The review is still in its early stages and is not necessarily expected to escalate into a formal investigation.

Manus was launched in China for the first time in March 2023 and has attracted significant attention in the field of artificial intelligence technology. It broke away from traditional chatbot formats and introduced the so-called “Intelligent Agent AI” technology, capable of autonomously formulating and executing work plans on behalf of users, which generated a huge response. With its low cost and high performance, it was regarded as the next-generation leader following the previously well-known Chinese AI model “Deep Quest.”

However, as US-China technological competition intensifies, Manus’s growth environment has also been restricted. Due to ongoing US semiconductor export controls on China, the company has struggled to access computing resources. Additionally, global investors’ willingness to invest has declined due to concerns over Chinese risks. As a result, Manus withdrew its development operations from China in July 2023 and relocated its headquarters to Singapore. Subsequently, on December 29, 2025, Meta Platforms completed its acquisition of Manus, bringing the company under the umbrella of the US tech giants. The specific acquisition amount was not disclosed, but the Financial Times estimated it to be around $2 billion.

Some analysts believe that Chinese authorities are concerned that this migration process has facilitated the transfer of technology overseas, a phenomenon often referred to as “de-Chinazation.” Some sources explain that one of the reasons Chinese agencies closely monitor the Manus case is to be vigilant against the trend of domestic startups bypassing technological policies to move abroad.

However, there are also opinions suggesting that, considering that artificial intelligence agent technology is relatively less strategic compared to semiconductors or military-grade specialized technologies, the priority level within China’s strategic technology list is relatively low. Therefore, government intervention might be limited.

This trend can be interpreted as a signal that China’s future export control policies may become stricter. Meanwhile, Chinese-origin potential technology companies relocating their headquarters overseas to evade regulation could become more frequent, and government responses are expected to become more refined.