11 Sep 2025
More recent developments
April 28, 2026
Longread | Beijing pulls a new lever on the Meta-Manus deal
On April 27, China's macro-planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a notice ordering the parties to the Meta-Manus deal to unwind the transaction. Some context: Back in January, we told readers that Beijing was clearly intending… Read More »
January 9, 2026
Will Beijing meddle in the Meta-Manus deal?
On December 29, Meta announced it would acquire Chinese AI startup Manus AI – reportedly for USD 2.5 billion. Inside China, the deal was widely applauded as a canonical home run: a blockbuster exit for startup founders who built a… Read More »
October 29, 2025
Quick take | Is China angling to become the world’s lab partner?
Premier Li Qiang wants East Asian countries to participate in more research collaborations. That was the spirit of the speech he delivered on October 27 at the 28th ASEAN Plus China, Japan, and South Korea Summit. What caught our eye:… Read More »