China has reopened investigations into Google and Nvidia for violating antitrust laws and is considering launching a similar probe against Intel, reports The Financial Times. These actions could result in heavy fines or restricted access to the Chinese market. However, the investigations are possibly linked to trade tensions between China and the U.S. and were restarted ahead of a meeting between the two countries' presidents, so the reopenings could be a way to gain leverage in the talks.
The inquiry into Google focuses on its Android operating system and whether it unfairly disadvantages Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Oppo and Xiaomi, which depend on Google software for their devices. Regulators are examining whether Google's market dominance harms these companies. The original examination started in 2019 but was shelved for years. It was restarted in December, and representatives of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) visited Google's office in Beijing in January.
