China’s state planner blocked SoftBank Group’s US$5.4 billion purchase of ABB’s robotics business, ABB said, and added that the companies remain in talks on the transaction.

ABB, a Swiss engineering group, gets about 30% of its robotics business from China. ABB previously described its Robotics & Discrete Automation division as the world’s second-largest robotics business.

SoftBank Robotics develops humanoid and service robots. SoftBank said the acquisition would broaden its industrial automation capabilities.

China’s foreign investment security review, led by the NDRC and the Ministry of Commerce, can cover offshore transactions that give buyers control over Chinese operations in sectors considered sensitive to national security.

ABB announced plans in April 2025 to spin off the division through an initial public offering. The announcement came before the SoftBank deal.

🔗 Source: Reuters

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