Chinese authorities announced on Tuesday that they would investigate Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, over suspected violations of anti-monopoly laws. This decision comes as Beijing swiftly responds to Washington’s imposition of a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, further heightening tensions between the world’s two largest economies and fueling concerns of a potential trade war. The State Administration for Market Regulation, a government-backed watchdog, will lead the investigation but has not provided further details. The announcement closely followed China’s move to impose additional tariffs on American products, including coal, oil, and certain automobiles.
The State Administration for Market Regulation said it had “launched an investigation into Google in accordance with the law” as a result of the new US levies that went into effect on Monday. The administration added that it had not yet determined what specific activities are allegedly being examined in the probe, which could take months.
It’s unclear what specifically prompted the launch of the antitrust probe. However, a few experts have pointed to its ties to the US Department of Justice, which in 2020 sued the company, alleging it illegally maintained a dominant position in online search by using its dominance in its Chrome browser to promote other services. In the lawsuit, the DOJ alleged that Google “abused its dominant market position by engaging in exclusionary conduct, including entering into exclusive contracts with third-party search engines, thereby restricting competition and harming consumers.”
Although its services are blocked in China under its Great Firewall censorship system, Google maintains a presence in the country for advertising purposes and software engineering. The tech firm also offers its Android smartphone operating system to Chinese consumers, which accounts for a significant portion of the platform’s revenue in the country. In 2019, the company reported a revenue of more than $13 billion from Chinese-based advertisers.
Google hasn’t responded to requests for comment on the antitrust investigation. The company’s last encounter with Chinese regulators was in a 2024 antitrust case, in which it was fined $975 million.
China To Probe Google Over Violations of Anti-Monopoly Laws
The investigation will likely focus on Google’s dominance in its Android mobile operating system, which most Chinese smartphones use. Other companies, such as Huawei and Xiaomi, have their own operating systems competing with Android in the country. In addition, numerous independent developers create apps for the platform.
In its statement on the antitrust investigation, the State Administration for Market Regulation said it had received a complaint from a local consumer citing monopoly and abuse of dominant market positions. The agency will “vigorously investigate the case and will punish those knowingly breaking the law,” the statement read. The DOJ’s complaint against Google was part of a more significant antitrust case filed against the tech giant in 2024 that alleged it abused its dominant market position to keep competitors out of the market for search and other online services.