China's top economic planner – the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) – announced on Monday that it has issued directives for US tech giant Meta to withdraw its acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence (AI) company founded by Chinese entrepreneurs. 

The decision, the NDRC said in a statement, was made in accordance with the laws made under the country's foreign investment security review mechanism.

It requires all parties to reverse the transaction, deemed as a foreign investment into the Manus project.

Meta had previously announced the acquisition in December 2025, stating that the two teams had already been "deeply integrated."

In January, Xinhua reported that officials would investigate if the proposed acquisition complied with China's regulations on foreign investment, technology exports and data outflows.

While the exact method of unwinding remains unclear, Chinese authorities have previously emphasized that the decision is not targeted at any specific country or company, but rather a standard application of existing laws. 

Communications industry analyst Ma Jihua told Global Times on Monday that the decision reflects China's consistent efforts to improve its foreign investment review system and regulate cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Ma said regulatory rules in key technology sectors are being further refined and standardized, which helps create a more predictable and well-structured business environment.

Meanwhile, Li Chang'an, a researcher at the University of International Business and Economics' National Open Research Institute, noted that China consistently supports enterprises in carrying out international operations and technology cooperation according to their own needs, but all cross-border investment and technology collaboration must follow the necessary legal procedures.