东谈西论Manus：是华丽转身还是技术出走？China’s scrutiny of the Meta–Manus deal
2025年结束之前的最后两天， 美国科技巨头Facebook的母公司Meta宣布收购一家总部在新加坡的人工智能初创公司Manus。收购价格据说超过20亿美元，Manus联合创始人兼总裁肖弘将加入Meta，担任Meta的副总裁。
Manus自称是总部在新加坡的公司。另一位联合创始人张涛去年6月在新加坡出席论坛，也以新加坡企业的身份示人。但是他的出生地是在中国，Manus的创始团队成员也都是中国人。
33岁的肖弘是江西人，他在念大学的时候就开发科技应用，在2022年创办蝴蝶效应科技。去年3月，肖弘率领团队推出了Manus，号称是全球第一款通用智能体产品。它可以为用户完成具体的任务，比如帮你筛查简历、帮你订酒店、订机票等等。
不过，Manus从中国公司变身新加坡公司，再被美国公司收购的这场华丽转身，目前受到了阻力。中国商务部介入，表示将对这次收购进行调查。
Manus一开始为何要出走到新加坡？它有可能通过调查，顺利被Meta收购吗？Manus的这次出走经验，又会给其他中国科技公司带来怎样的启示？
这期的早报播客《东谈西论》，听主持人韩咏红与新加坡优势研究咨询公司创始人兼CEO张帆分析Manus收购案的始末。
延伸阅读：
The global tech world is abuzz with Meta’s planned US$2 billion acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup now under scrutiny from Beijing. On December 30, 2025, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced plans to buy Manus, with co‑founder and president Xiao Hong set to join Meta as a vice president.
The deal hit a snag on January 8, 2026, when China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) launched a national security review under its Export Control Law, citing risks in AI technology transfers. It is the first time Beijing has used this law to examine an overseas acquisition of a Chinese-founded AI company, underscoring its tighter control over advanced technologies.
Founded in China in 2022 as Butterfly Effect Technology, Manus moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2024. Its flagship product, a general intelligent agent capable of automating tasks like resume screening, hotel bookings, and flight reservations, was launched in March 2025. The move to Singapore was widely seen as a bid to attract global capital and mitigate exposure to rising US–China tech tensions.
Can Meta complete the Manus deal, and what does this case signal for other Chinese-founded AI firms seeking global expansion under growing regulatory and geopolitical pressure? Join host Han Yonghong in Global Heartbeat as she discusses these questions with Tim Zhang, founder and CEO of Edge Research Consulting.
Hosted by Lianhe Zaobao’s Associate Editor, Han Yong Hong, Global Heartbeat is a Mandarin weekly news and current affairs podcast that is updated every Tuesday. It is available on zaobao.sg, Apple Podcast, Spotify and other podcast platforms.
