China has reportedly decided to drop its antitrust investigation into Google, signaling a potential shift in its trade strategy with the United States, according to a report by the Financial Times on Thursday.
The decision, seen as a tactical move by Beijing, comes as trade negotiations between the two global superpowers intensify with renewed focus on U.S. tech giants such as Nvidia and the embattled social media platform TikTok.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the FT revealed that China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), which launched the investigation in February, has now opted to end the probe. The investigation initially centered on allegations that Google may have breached China’s anti-monopoly laws, although the regulator did not publicly disclose specific details of the suspected violations.
While no formal announcement has been made, and Google itself has reportedly not received official notification of the decision, the move is being interpreted as a diplomatic gesture aimed at Washington.
As the curtain falls on Google’s antitrust case, China has redirected regulatory attention toward Nvidia, the American chipmaker at the heart of the global AI race. Just days ago, Beijing accused Nvidia of potentially violating competition laws following a preliminary inquiry into its business operations in the Chinese market.
This pivot suggests that China is recalibrating its regulatory tactics, using high-profile U.S. firms as leverage amid growing geopolitical tensions and trade disagreements with Washington.
The regulatory back-and-forth forms part of a broader tit-for-tat standoff between the two nations, which has been escalating over the past six months.
Tensions were reignited when U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, initially as high as 100% before being scaled back to around 30%. Washington also raised the stakes by threatening to ban TikTok, a move that continues to draw international scrutiny.
In response, Beijing retaliated with its own tariffs around 10% and regulatory probes targeting major American tech companies like Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company.
Industry analysts suggest that China’s decision to shelve the Google investigation could be a calculated attempt to de-escalate tensions and project a willingness to negotiate.
“This could be Beijing’s way of showing that it’s open to compromise, especially as the tech war continues to hurt both sides,” one expert said under condition of anonymity.
While the decision may ease some immediate regulatory pressure on Google, the broader landscape remains volatile, with U.S.-China tech and trade relations hanging in a delicate balance.
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