【AI+META】China reportedly penalizes personnel related to Meta's acquisition of Manus and may include restricting Manus executives from leaving China

Meta (US: META)’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus is under review by Chinese authorities. According to foreign media reports, sources indicate that the Chinese government is taking action to penalize personnel related to Meta’s acquisition of Manus, aiming to prevent Chinese AI executives from relocating their businesses overseas.

Reports say that late last week, officials from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) convened a meeting with Meta and Manus executives to express concerns about the deal announced last December. It is unclear what specific measures the Chinese government is implementing, but it appears to include restrictions on Manus executives leaving China for Singapore.

The reports also mention that Chinese authorities have previously imposed outbound travel restrictions on corporate executives under review.

Meta: Expect the Investigation to Be Resolved Properly

A Meta spokesperson quoted in the report stated that the transaction fully complies with applicable laws. The talented Manus team has now been deeply integrated into Meta. It is also expected that the investigation will be resolved properly.

Neither Manus nor the White House responded to requests for comment.

Meta announced on December 29, 2025, that it would acquire Manus to accelerate the integration of advanced AI on its platform. However, earlier this year, reports surfaced that China was reviewing the deal to assess whether it violated technology export control regulations.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce later stated during a routine press conference that it would coordinate with relevant departments to evaluate the consistency of this acquisition with laws and regulations related to export controls, technology import and export, and foreign investment.

The reports indicate that since the acquisition has already been completed, it is unclear what actions the Chinese government will take. Experts suggest that, besides a travel ban, Chinese authorities might attempt to recover exported data or declare Manus’s relocation to Singapore illegal.

Manus was founded in China in 2022, with its parent company Butterfly Effect headquartered in Singapore. Last year, this startup gained widespread attention in Silicon Valley for an AI application capable of performing complex tasks without human intervention.