China

CNBC | English | News | Jan. 9, 2026 | Regulation

Chinese officials are reviewing Meta's $2 billion acquisition of the AI startup Manus for potential technology control violations. The review focuses on whether the relocation of Manus' staff and technology to Singapore and the subsequent sale to Meta require an export license under Chinese law.

The assessment by China's commerce ministry is at a preliminary stage and may not result in a formal investigation. However, the requirement for an export license could provide Beijing with leverage to influence or potentially block the transaction.

Meta completed the acquisition of Manus last month. Manus, a Singapore-based firm valued between $2 billion and $3 billion, gained attention earlier this year for releasing what it claimed to be the world's first general AI agent, which autonomously makes decisions and executes tasks with less prompting than AI chatbots like ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

Peoples Daily | English | News | Jan. 9, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

In 2025, China's digital economy advanced rapidly, driven by the widespread integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies. The DeepSeek large language model, launched in early 2025, quickly gained over 22 million active users within three weeks of its DeepSeek-R1 update and remained cost-efficient while becoming a leading global AI model. Hundreds of domestically developed AI models were integrated into various sectors, with one in three Chinese internet users utilizing them. Network infrastructure also expanded notably, with 4.83 million 5G base stations by November 2025, an increase of nearly 580,000 from the previous year.

Digital industrialization and digital transformation deeply influenced China’s economic structure. Robotics experienced rapid breakthroughs, and high-tech manufacturing output rose 9.2% year-on-year through November 2025. More than 7,000 advanced smart factories were established, with the intelligent manufacturing sector valued at over 4.5 trillion yuan ($642.5 billion). AI integration into the real economy led to continuous emergence of smart products and services, further accelerating industrial modernization.

Public digital services improved accessibility and convenience in 2025. For example, Chengdu launched a digital two-way referral platform connecting health centers and hospitals, enhancing patient appointment management and cross-provincial medical billing, with over 600 million settlements processed. More than 1.2 billion people used electronic medical insurance codes, and telemedicine reached every city and county. Additionally, all 5A-level tourist attractions nationwide completed digital transformations utilizing digital twin and virtual reality technology to enhance visitor experience.

China also promoted global digital cooperation through initiatives like the SOHO Cloud Silk Road e-commerce platform, launched in March 2025. This platform connected nearly 30 Central Asian buyers with over 500 suppliers in Jiangsu Province, enabling rapid growth in cross-border trade, which surged more than 220% year-on-year in the first half of 2025. The Silk Road e-commerce cooperation now involves 36 partner countries, with extensive networks of national pavilions and procurement bases established to foster international digital economic collaboration.

Peoples Daily | English | News | Jan. 9, 2026 | UndeterminedBizdev-Partnering

China is enhancing its investment and business environment by improving infrastructure, fostering innovation enterprises, and attracting high-end talent, creating significant opportunities for deeper cooperation with South Korea, according to Kim Jong-moon, chief representative of the Korea Innovation Center (KIC China). A recent South Korean delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, visited major tech centers and companies in Shanghai, gaining insight into China’s rapid technological development and robust infrastructure.

Kim highlighted China's advanced infrastructure, from highway networks to intelligent traffic management and power engineering, as critical to sustainable technological progress and industrial upgrading. He also emphasized China’s thriving high-tech ecosystem, driven by leading domestic enterprises and a strong talent pool that supports ongoing innovation and long-term industry growth.

The longstanding diplomatic and economic relationship between China and South Korea has fostered a collaborative high-tech sector where complementarity surpasses competition. The two countries have developed specialized and efficient industrial chains in areas such as semiconductors, new-energy vehicles, and display panels. Kim suggested that further cooperation through joint R&D, shared laboratories, and technological exchanges could help mitigate risks like technological blockades and supply chain disruptions, while accelerating innovation commercialization.

China and South Korea also offer strategic advantages for each other’s global expansion. South Korea can act as a gateway for Chinese technologies into developed markets, while China provides a large market and strong manufacturing base for South Korean companies, especially in Asia. The Korea Innovation Center in China plays a key role in facilitating cooperation among innovation enterprises, research institutions, and investors, aiming to build a sustainable and future-oriented innovation landscape between the two nations.