Meta’s acquisition of Manus, a prominent AI platform developed in China, is under scrutiny by Beijing’s regulators. Announced by Meta on December 29, 2025, the deal raises concerns about compliance with China’s export control and investment laws. Notably, Manus, having distanced itself from Chinese roots by moving to Singapore and reducing its Chinese operations, now faces the challenge of an in-depth investigation.

This scrutiny stems from the fear that such acquisitions might establish a precedent where Chinese innovators relocate internationally, taking advantage of U.S.-based resources while disregarding local industry support. The investigation coincides with ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting tech exports, particularly involving American technologies like Nvidia’s GPUs.

The evolving scenario underscores China’s motivations to closely regulate domestic tech enterprises and influences from abroad, with potential implications for global tech industry standards.