China reopens antitrust probes into Google, Nvidia, and Intel amid Trade tensions

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, February 4th, 2025

Download this post as PDF

RKI Network
China has revived antitrust investigations into Google and Nvidia while considering a new probe against Intel, as tensions with the U.S. escalate over tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced a competition investigation into Google, focusing on the dominance of its Android operating system and its impact on Chinese smartphone makers like Oppo and Xiaomi. A previously shelved probe from 2019 was reopened in December, just before Trump’s inauguration.
In December, China also launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia, citing potential violations related to its 2019 acquisition of Israeli networking firm Mellanox Technologies. Authorities are now weighing a similar probe against Intel, though the details remain unclear.
Analysts suggest these moves could be part of China’s broader response to U.S. trade restrictions. Liu Xu, a researcher at Tsinghua University, noted that using antitrust measures as leverage in trade talks could prove controversial.
The investigations place U.S. tech giants at the center of escalating trade tensions, with potential consequences including heavy fines or restricted access to the Chinese market. China remains a crucial market for these companies, accounting for 13% of Nvidia’s sales and 29% of Intel’s revenue in 2024.
While Google’s services are mostly blocked in China, its Android system remains widely used, and the company benefits from Chinese businesses advertising overseas. Google and Nvidia declined to comment, while Intel has yet to respond.