Ep 63 - Beijing unwinds the Meta-Manus deal

What happens when a Chinese AI startup tries to sell itself to a major US tech company, but Beijing decides it doesn’t like the deal?In this week’s episode, Trivium China Podcast host Andrew Polk is joined by Trivium’s Head of Tech Policy Research Kendra Schaefer to unpack the latest in the Meta-Manus acquisition saga and what it reveals about China’s evolving approach to tech regulation and national security.The two discuss:Why Chinese regulators ordered the Meta-Manus deal unwoundHow Beijing is using dormant foreign investment review powers in new waysThe role of VIE structures and “Singapore washing” in cross-border tech dealsChina’s growing concerns around technology outflowWhat this all means for Chinese startups, founders, and the future of US-China tech competitionAndrew and Kendra also explore how both Washington and Beijing are increasingly converging around the same core question: who gets to control strategically important technology?