China gives Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta deadline to ‘unwind’ the $2 billion Manus deal: The ‘big China’ problem and why it matters

Meta Platforms’ planned acquisition of Manus AI has turned into a complex global story involving business strategy, regulation and national security concerns. The $2 billion deal, first announced in December 2025, was positioned as a major step in building advanced AI systems. However, in the months that followed, Chinese regulators began reviewing the transaction, raising concerns about technology transfer and foreign control. By April, authorities in China had moved to block the deal, asking both companies to cancel the transaction. The development has added to growing tensions between the US and China over artificial intelligence and control of advanced technologies.

Meta-ManusAI deal announced in December 2025