"China has a message for US tech firms: Hands off our AI talent and tech. That's what Beijing is signalling by announcing a probe into Meta's acquisition of Manus, analysts told Business Insider. The probe, confirmed by China's Ministry of Commerce in a Thursday press conference, will investigate whether the acquisition complies with the country's laws and regulations concerning export controls, according to a statement translated by Google."
"While China and the US have long engaged in tit-for-tat regulatory exchanges involving their tech companies, analysts told Business Insider this probe is notable because it appears to be aimed at discouraging so-called "Singapore washing" - the process of moving a company from China to Singapore to reduce regulatory scrutiny. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, and fast-fashion giant Shein are among those that have shifted their headquarters from China to Singapore."
China initiated a probe into Meta's acquisition of Manus to assess compliance with export controls and national regulations. Manus created a "general-purpose" AI agent and relocated from China to Singapore in mid-2025 after launching in March. Meta announced a purchase in December and pledged to sever Manus' ties with China; the transaction reportedly exceeds $2 billion. The investigation signals an intent to retain domestic AI talent and technology and to discourage companies from relocating to Singapore to avoid regulatory scrutiny. The probe aims to prevent the transfer of Chinese AI capabilities to foreign, especially US, buyers.
Read at Business Insider
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