China’s decision to block Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus stunned the global AI industry. 

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Newley Purnell and Lulu Chen about how the deal crumbled and what it signals for Chinese startups trying to go global.

Read more: China’s Meta Backlash Renders Manus Model ‘Officially Dead’

Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang and Naomi Ng; Reported by Newley Purnell and Lulu Chen; Edited by Paddy Hirsch.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

China&rsquo;s decision to block Meta&rsquo;s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus stunned the global AI industry. 
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Newley Purnell and Lulu Chen about how the deal crumbled and what it signals for Chinese startups trying to go global.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-29/china-s-meta-backlash-renders-manus-model-officially-dead">China&rsquo;s Meta Backlash Renders Manus Model &lsquo;Officially Dead&rsquo;</a>
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang and Naomi Ng; Reported by Newley Purnell and Lulu Chen; Edited by Paddy Hirsch.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

Why China Blocked Meta’s $2 Billion Acquisition of Manus AI

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5d173cc9-fd5e-47c1-9a90-b441014a6a05/transcript