Paramount says China's Tencent withdrew from its Warner Bros bid to avert national security issues

Core Viewpoint - Tencent Holdings has withdrawn its bid to acquire Warner Bros Discovery to avoid potential national security scrutiny from the U.S. government [1][2]. Group 1: Tencent's Withdrawal - Tencent dropped its $1 billion financing commitment for the acquisition due to concerns that it would be classified as a "non-U.S. equity financing source," which could trigger a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) [2]. - The decision to withdraw was made despite the fact that CFIUS approval was not a condition for the bid [2]. Group 2: Paramount's Takeover Bid - Paramount has launched a hostile takeover offer valued at $77.9 billion for Warner Bros Discovery, competing against Netflix for the acquisition of the company that owns HBO, CNN, and a prominent movie studio [3]. - Foreign sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar are providing $24 billion for Paramount's bid and have agreed to relinquish management rights to avoid additional scrutiny [3]. Group 3: National Security Concerns - CFIUS reviews are often applied to significant deals involving foreign companies, assessing potential national security risks [4]. - The U.S. Treasury Department has been strengthening its review powers under both former President Biden and former President Trump due to rising national security concerns regarding foreign investments [5]. Group 4: Tencent's Profile - Tencent is a major player in the gaming and social media sectors, owning Riot Games and having partnerships with various U.S. entertainment brands, including a streaming deal with the NBA [6][7]. - The company is the world's largest equity investor in online games and operates the WeChat messaging and payments service in China and among Chinese expatriates [7]. - Tencent has a market capitalization exceeding $700 billion, as reported by the Hong Kong stock exchange [7].