WORLD
In a tit for tat, China initiates action against Google, other US companies for “flouting laws”
- IBJ Bureau
- Feb 05, 2025
China has announced a wide range of measures, targeting US businesses, including Google, farm equipment-makers and the owner of fashion brand Calvin Klein, minutes after new US tariffs on Chinese goods took effect.
Beijing has also slapped tariffs on US products such as coal, oil and some autos in a rapid response to the new duties on Chinese goods imposed by US President Donald Trump, escalating trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has said that Google is suspected of violating the country’s anti-monopoly law and an investigation has been initiated in accordance with the law. It did not provide further details on the investigation or on what it alleged that Google had done to breach the law.
Google products such as its search engine are blocked in China and its revenue from there is about 1 per cent of global sales. It still works with Chinese partners such as advertisers.
In 2017, Google had announced the launch of a small artificial intelligence centre in China. But the project was disbanded two years later, and the firm does not conduct AI research in China, according to a blog posting.
Separately, China’s Commerce Ministry has said that it has put PVH Corp – the holding company for brands, including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger – and US biotechnology firm Illumina on its “unreliable entity” list.
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