Jan 6 (Reuters) – Chinese officials review Meta results (META) Acquisition for 2 billion dollars of artificial intelligence startup Manus for possible technological control violations, the Financial Times reported Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Meta and Manus did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Chinese Commerce Ministry officials began evaluating whether the relocation of Manus personnel and technology to Singapore and the resulting sale to Meta required an export license under “Chinese law,” according to the report.
Although the review is in its preliminary stages and may not result in a formal investigation, the need for a license could provide Beijing “with a means to influence the transaction, including, in an extreme case, trying to force the parties to abandon the deal,” the report added.
Meta acquired Manus last month, when a source familiar with the matter told Reuters the deal valued the Singapore-based company at between $2 billion and $3 billion.
Manus went viral earlier this year on
(Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bangalore; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
