As China-U.S. Relations Sour, Baidu’s VC Affiliate Tries to Sell Its U.S. Startup Stakes

A venture capital firm backed by Chinese internet firm Baidu is in talks to sell a portfolio of stakes in a range of U.S. startups, including artificial intelligence robotics startup Machina Labs, whose customers include the U.S. Air Force, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

The firm, Baidu Venture, has been in discussions with multiple American investors interested in buying the stakes, these people said. The previously unreported talks come at a time when the U.S.-China geopolitical rift has created a more sensitive environment for Chinese investments in the U.S., complicating life for startups whose shareholders include Chinese firms.