China blocks SoftBank's purchase of ABB's robotics business

On November 11, 2026, AI Business reported that China had blocked SoftBank's acquisition of ABB's robotics business. SoftBank is described as a Japanese multinational investment holding company, and the deal under discussion was its purchase of the robotics division of ABB. According to the report, the move to stop the acquisition has sparked concerns about the future of cross-border robotics investment, and the decision is framed as a possible signal for supply chains and multinational transactions in the robotics sector. The available material does not state when the deal was first announced, who specifically raised the objection on the Chinese side, what approval process the transaction was going through, or the terms of the deal. It also does not mention any comment from SoftBank or ABB. Based on what has been reported so far, the matter stands at the point where the acquisition has been stopped in China and AI Business has covered the development; no further details about the status of the transaction or its next steps are available.