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China blocks SoftBank acquisition of ABB robotics division
Chinese regulators have prohibited SoftBank Group from acquiring the robotics business of Swiss-Swedish industrial firm ABB in China. The decision was made by the Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review, according to statements from both companies.
The deal, originally announced in October 2025, was valued at approximately $5.4 billion. China represents a critical market for the division, accounting for a significant portion of its business, with roughly 90% of robots for Chinese customers being manufactured locally.
Reports indicate that Chinese authorities expressed concerns regarding the potential transfer of robotics data to foreign entities. There are allegations that such data could be used to train artificial intelligence models, including those from OpenAI, a company in which SoftBank is an investor. The move also occurs amid heightened geopolitical tensions between China and Japan.
ABB and SoftBank have stated they are continuing to maintain a dialogue and are working constructively to explore potential transaction structures that might satisfy regulatory requirements.
Entities
ABB · China · Masayoshi Son · National Development and Reform Commission · Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review · OpenAI · SoftBank · SoftBank Group
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 8 SOURCES] The deal was originally announced in October 2025. uruguayaldia.com.uy · www.diarioestrategia.cl · www.cash.ch · www.moneycab.com · latele.ch · +3 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Chinese authorities are concerned that robotics data could be used to train foreign AI models, including those from OpenAI. eurasiabusinessnews.com · technews.tw · www.cash.ch · cn.nytimes.com · www.moneycab.com · +5 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] China is ABB's largest robotics market, representing about 30% of its total robotics business. technews.tw · www.cash.ch · cn.nytimes.com · www.moneycab.com · www.politika.rs · +4 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Approximately 90% of robots for Chinese customers are manufactured locally in China. cn.nytimes.com · www.moneycab.com · latele.ch · www.politika.rs · www.ad-hoc-news.de · +3 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] SoftBank shares fell nearly 7% in Tokyo following the news. cn.nytimes.com · www.mononews.gr · www.politika.rs
- [● 15 SOURCES] The original deal between SoftBank and ABB was valued at approximately $5.4 billion. uruguayaldia.com.uy · www.diarioestrategia.cl · eurasiabusinessnews.com · technews.tw · www.cash.ch · +10 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] China's Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review prohibited the acquisition of ABB's robotics business in China. uruguayaldia.com.uy · www.diarioestrategia.cl · eurasiabusinessnews.com · cn.nytimes.com · www.moneycab.com · +6 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] ABB and SoftBank are continuing to collaborate and maintain a dialogue regarding the transaction. uruguayaldia.com.uy · www.diarioestrategia.cl · www.moneycab.com · latele.ch · www.ad-hoc-news.de · +4 more