In a significant escalation of its tech decoupling strategy, China is now actively discouraging its leading AI companies from accepting American investment without explicit government approval.

According to Bloomberg reporting from April 24, 2026, Chinese regulators — including the powerful National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) — have privately warned several high-profile AI startups to reject US-origin capital in upcoming funding rounds unless they receive prior clearance. Among the companies that received this guidance are Moonshot AI (which is preparing for a potential IPO) and StepFun.

This move is widely seen as Beijing’s direct response to the controversial Meta acquisition of Manus AI — a deal that has become a major flashpoint in US-China tech relations.

The Manus Precedent

Last year, Manus AI (originally a Chinese-founded company) cleverly restructured and relocated to Singapore before selling to Meta for over $2 billion. The deal triggered intense backlash in Beijing. Chinese authorities launched investigations into possible violations of technology export controls and outbound investment rules.

Co-founders were reportedly barred from leaving the country, and the deal is still under heavy scrutiny. Recent Financial Times reporting suggests officials who initially approved the Singapore move are now under pressure to revise their earlier assessments.

The Manus case appears to have convinced Chinese policymakers that simply allowing companies to “exit” via offshore restructuring is no longer acceptable when advanced AI is involved.

More Companies Caught in the Crosshairs

Similar pressure is being applied elsewhere:

• MiroMind, another Chinese-origin AI company that moved early to Singapore, Japan, and the US, is now raising a new round from American investors. Its founder — a prominent gaming magnate based in Silicon Valley — has reportedly also received warnings about transferring AI resources abroad.
• Even ByteDance (TikTok’s parent) has been told to seek approval before allowing secondary share sales to US investors.

The message from Beijing is clear: in the strategic AI sector, capital flight and technology leakage will face much tighter controls.

Singapore: The Emerging Neutral Ground

As tensions rise, Singapore is quietly positioning itself as a preferred “neutral hub” for AI companies caught between the US and China. Reuters highlighted how Chinese startups are moving there to operate with less government oversight, while American firms use the city-state to access international talent without the complications of US visa restrictions.

Singapore has rolled out AI-specific visas, intellectual property incentives, and a business-friendly environment that appeals to both sides. However, experts warn that as US-China rivalry intensifies, even Singapore may find itself caught in the middle and subject to secondary restrictions.

What This Means

China is no longer content with passive export controls. It is now proactively trying to keep both capital and talent tied more closely to the mainland — or at least under direct regulatory oversight. For Chinese AI founders, the path to global funding and freedom is becoming narrower and riskier.

This latest policy is part of a broader pattern: Beijing wants to dominate the AI race but is increasingly unwilling to let its best companies and technologies slip into Western hands through clever structuring or offshore moves.

The result? A more fragmented global AI ecosystem, where geography, nationality, and regulatory approval increasingly determine who can fund, build, and scale the next generation of AI companies.

The decoupling isn’t just about chips anymore.  
It’s about money, people, and the companies that bring them together.

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