Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed gratitude to China during his visit to the headquarters of Iran's Red Crescent Society (IRCS) in Tehran on Wednesday, China Media Group (CMG) reported. "We look forward to the continued strengthening and development of our relationship with this beloved country," he said.

We appreciate the Chinese government, the president of China, and the support and cooperation they provide, the Iranian president said, according to the CMG's report. 

"China also stands against oppression and cruelty, and pursues justice and the unity of the people," Pezeshkian said. "Iran is grateful to China, and looks forward to the continued strengthening and development of our relationship with this beloved country," per CMG. 

In response to a question raised by a reporter from Chinese media Phoenix TV on the same occasion, Pezeshkian said at this moment, he feels both deep sorrow and strong indignation. 

Pezeshkian also expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by countries including China, Russia, and Turkey, and in particular thanked the Chinese government and the Chinese people, the Phoenix TV said. 

China has repeatedly voiced its position on the evolving situation in the Middle East. On Wednesday, responding to media inquiries about what should be the next step to resolving the war, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the current ceasefire is highly fragile and the regional situation has come to a critical stage. The pressing priority is to prevent by all means a relapse in fighting and maintain the momentum for ceasefire that did not come easy.

Relevant parties should adhere to the temporary ceasefire and stick to resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means. China will continue working with the international community for peace, bring parties to the table and strive for the early return of peace and stability to the Middle East, Guo noted.

China's Office of the Working Mechanism for Security Review of Foreign Investment under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced on Monday its decision to prohibit, in accordance with laws and regulations, the foreign acquisition of the Manus project and required the parties involved to revoke the transaction, according to the official website of the NDRC.

This regulatory approach targets no specific country or company, but applies a unified legal and procedural framework to all cross-border investment to better safeguard economic security and market order, an industry analyst said.

In December, Meta announced that it would acquire artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Manus, as the US technology giant accelerates efforts to integrate advanced AI across its platforms, according to Reuters.

Earlier, Manus, part of Beijing-based Butterfly Effect Technology Ltd Co, launched its AI agent, claiming that its performance surpassed that of OpenAI's AI agent DeepResearch, according to Reuters.

This decision reflects China's continued efforts to improve its foreign investment review system and regulate cross-border mergers and acquisitions in accordance with laws and regulations, Ma Jihua, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times on Monday. He noted that regulatory rules in key technology areas are being further refined and standardized, helping create a more predictable and well-structured environment.

On April 2, in response to foreign media inquiries regarding what measures the Chinese side would take concerning Manus' case and related questions, He Yadong, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said that the Chinese government supports enterprises in carrying out cross-border operations and technological cooperation according to their needs, but such activities must comply with China's laws and regulations and fulfill legal procedures.

This acquisition case has been controversial since it was first revealed. The main point of criticism is that Manus, an AI company developed with the support of Chinese engineers and infrastructure, suddenly "cut ties" with Chinese elements after receiving US investment, experts said, noting that at the time, the move raised concerns over whether it was circumventing regulatory scrutiny.

In March 2025, Manus launched what it claimed to be the world's first general-purpose AI agent. The company was then hailed as the second "DeepSeek moment" by some foreign media outlets. Just a few months later, Manus relocated its headquarters to Singapore in July, laid off dozens of China-based staff - retaining only core technical personnel - and completely ceased operations and services in the Chinese mainland, according to Bloomberg.

In April last year, Manus received $75 million in financing from the US venture capital firm Benchmark. The US subsequently launched an investigation because American funds are prohibited from investing in Chinese high-tech companies, according to CNBC and Yahoo Finance.

In December last year, Meta announced the acquisition of Manus for approximately $2 billion, making it the third-largest acquisition in Meta's history.

According to China's Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted for Export and the newly revised Foreign Trade Law, the export, cross-border transfer, and related investment activities involving such technologies are required to undergo security review and obtain the necessary licenses in accordance with the law. The Chinese side has a fully sufficient and solid legal basis for exercising jurisdiction over this transaction.

This regulatory approach is not directed at any specific country or company, but is based on a unified legal framework and procedural requirements for all types of cross-border investment activities, with the aim of safeguarding economic security and maintaining market order, Li Chang'an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Monday.

China has consistently encouraged enterprises to expand internationally and engage in technological exchanges based on their development needs. However, it is important to note that all cross-border investment, technology cooperation, and related activities must comply with relevant laws and regulations and follow required approval and compliance procedures, said Li.

"As cross-border cooperation in key technology areas such as AI becomes more frequent, cases like this may help further institutionalize review mechanisms and secure the healthy and sustainable development of the rapidly growing technology sector," Li said.