Trending Now - China's Restrictions on Meta's Deal Complicate Western Strategies

WHO:

DW.com - Meta, an American technology company, attempted to acquire Manus, an artificial intelligence startup.

DW.com - Rebecca Arcesati, an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS).

DW.com - Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.

DW.com - Alice Garcia Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at French Investment Bank Natixis.

WHAT:

DW.com - China blocked Meta’s $2 billion (€1.7 billion) takeover of Manus on national security grounds.

DW.com - The European Union's trade deficit with China reached €360 billion ($424 billion) in 2025.

DW.com - The European Commission published details of the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) in March.

WHERE:

DW.com - Manus is headquartered in Singapore.

DW.com - The European Union is involved in trade relations with China.

WHEN:

DW.com - The blocking of Meta's acquisition occurred last month.

DW.com - The Regulations on Industrial and Supply Chain Security were introduced in April.

DW.com - Trump's aggressive new tariffs on Chinese goods were implemented in 2025.

WHY:

DW.com - China viewed Manus as a strategic asset in the global AI race.

DW.com - The new rules aim to deter foreign firms from decoupling or reducing dependency on China.

DW.com - Beijing's actions are motivated by a desire for national leadership in technology and self-sufficiency.

HOW:

DW.com - China can now retaliate against foreign firms that move production to other countries or comply with US and EU sanctions.

DW.com - The IAA aims to cut Europe’s strategic dependencies on Chinese goods and counter unfair competition.

(UPDATED May 13, 2026 19:35 UTC)

China has blocked Meta's $2 billion acquisition of the artificial intelligence startup Manus, citing national security concerns, as the company is seen as a strategic asset in the global AI race. This decision comes amid a backdrop of significant trade relations, with the European Union's trade deficit with China reaching €360 billion in 2025, and new regulations introduced to deter foreign firms from reducing their dependency on China. The European Commission recently published details of the Industrial Accelerator Act, which aims to cut Europe’s strategic dependencies on Chinese goods and counter unfair competition.