Beijing Imposes Exit Bans on Singapore-Based AI Executives During Meta’s Proposed Three Billion Dollar Acquisition Review

Chinese regulators impose exit bans on Manus AI co-founders during a review of Meta's $3B acquisition. The NDRC is investigating potential investment rule violations.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 7:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Channel News Asia

Regulatory Obstruction of AI Leadership Movement

The Chinese government has intensified its scrutiny of the artificial intelligence sector by imposing travel restrictions on the executive leadership of the Singapore-based startup Manus. Chief Executive Xiao Hong and Chief Scientist Ji Yichao were reportedly summoned to a high-level meeting in Beijing with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) earlier this month. Following this encounter, the executives were informed that they are barred from leaving China, though they remain free to travel within the country’s borders while a comprehensive regulatory review of their recent business dealings is conducted.

Investigation Into Meta’s Strategic Acquisition

Central to the NDRC inquiry is the massive acquisition of Manus by the American tech conglomerate Meta, a deal valued between 2 billion and 3 billion dollars. Announced in December, the transaction would grant Meta control over Manus’s proprietary general-purpose AI agents, which are designed to function as digital employees capable of complex automation and research. Chinese commerce officials are now assessing whether this transfer of technology and corporate control violates existing investment regulations, particularly those intended to keep foundational AI developments under national oversight.

The Migration of High Tech Intellectual Property

Manus originated in China but underwent a significant corporate restructuring last July, relocating its headquarters and core technical team to Singapore. This move followed a financing round led by the prominent U.S. venture capital firm Benchmark, signaling a shift toward Western-aligned investment and operational structures. The current exit bans suggest that Beijing is retroactively challenging the legality of this relocation and the subsequent sale, viewing the startup’s intellectual property as a critical national asset that may have been exported without sufficient regulatory approval.