China Opens Google Antitrust Probe

In a heated exchange of measures in the ongoing trade war, a Chinese market regulator opened a probe into Google's alleged antitrust violations. The probe started the same day the US tariffs on mainland imports went into effect.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) stated an investigation was prompted by suspicion of the search giant violating China’s anti-monopoly law. The US government unveiled 10% tariffs on Chinese products over the weekend. China has announced duties on coal, crude oil, LNG, agricultural equipment, and some automobiles from the US, effective 10 February.

Google stopped offering its search in China in 2010. In mid-December, days following the US widening export controls to limit Chinese companies’ access to advanced chips, the SAMR opened a probe into Nvidia. The US company allegedly violated anti-monopoly laws. The move escalated rising trade tension between the two nations.