Can China reverse a billion-dollar tech deal? - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service

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US giant Meta bought one of the most hyped AI agents in the world for two billion dollars. And then China’s government stepped in to block it. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 https://bbc.in/3VyyriM The move stunned the tech world. Manus, a fast-growing AI startup with roots in China but based in Singapore, had been gaining attention for its powerful AI agent tools. Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, saw it as a strategic bet in the race to dominate artificial intelligence. But Beijing saw something else. Chinese regulators intervened, reportedly framing the deal as a threat to national security and a potential loss of critical technology. In this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi speaks with Rui Ma, founder of Tech Buzz China, and Wendy Chang from the Mercator Institute for China Studies to unpack what Manus is, why Meta wanted it, why China blocked the deal and what this tells us about the intensifying US-China AI rivalry. This episode was recorded on 4 May. 00:00 Introduction 01:35 Why did Meta want to acquire Manus? 04:00 Is it possible to undo the Meta-Manus deal? 04:51 How could the deal be reversed if Manus staff are already fully integrated into Meta? 06:34 Why does Beijing still have a say if Manus is incorporated in Singapore? 07:50 How did Singapore become an attractive hub for tech companies? 08:23 Why was Manus’s domestic shutdown such a big deal in China? 09:52 What message is the Chinese government trying to send? 11:33 How did the tech community react? 14:35 Will this be the last time a major US company bids for a Chinese firm? 16:11 Who is leading the AI race - US or China? 17:26 China’s top priority: Achieving self-reliance 19:34 Will this deal be significant enough to feature on the agenda of the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting? Watch more episodes of Asia Specific here 👉🏽 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4c3njIxB0KHuO8SS2mBMtUc Instagram: @bbcworldservice Email: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Mariko Oi Producer: Derek Cai, Rachel L