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China launches anti-monopoly probe into Google & retaliatory tariffs against US

Google's search engine hasn't operated in China since 2010.

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February 04, 2025, 07:07 PM

Telegram WhatsappOn Feb. 4, China announced a suite of retaliatory tariffs aimed at United States companies as the U.S. implements a 10 per cent blanket tariff on imports from China.

China also added several large U.S.-based companies to its “unreliable entities” list, as well as launching an investigation into tech giant Google.

She doesn't even go here

One notable announcement was that China was targeting tech giant Google.

The Global Times said in a single-paragraph article that China’s State Administration for Market Regulation had launched a formal investigation of Google over a “suspected violation of China’s Anti-Monopoly law”.

Google was declared to have a monopoly on online search by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2024, albeit under the previous Biden administration.

But Google’s search engine exited China's market in 2010 after complaining of censorship by China’s government, so it is unclear exactly what violations China might mean, or what consequences China seeks to impose.

However, the Financial Times reports that Google’s parent company Alphabet remains active in China, especially as Chinese brands continue to use Google to advertise overseas, and phone makers continue to use its Android phone operating system.

It is not known exactly how much business Google does in China with the FT only noting that China was included under Google’s Asia-Pacific region, which had 17 per cent of Google’s global sales.

This isn't the first time Google has been caught in a geopolitical mess, and the Russian government is demanding that it pay them more money than has ever existed on earth.

Trading tariffs

This comes after the Trump administration announced that it would go ahead with its threatened 10 per cent tariff on all imports from China, set to begin on Feb. 4.

The tariff threats also included an even more punishing 25 per cent tariff to be implemented on close neighbours Canada and Mexico.

However, the leaders of both countries, despite initially laying out their own set of retaliatory tariffs, have managed to come to interim agreements with the Trump administration, resulting in a 30-day suspension of the tariffs.

This was not true for China, who, while initially leaving some room for negotiations, heavily criticised the tariff threat, as well as threatening countermeasures of their own.

Gas, jeans, and hoes

On Feb. 4, the Financial Times reported that China will impose tariffs of between 10 and 15 per cent on a selected range of imports from the U.S.

The Guardian reports that China announced its measures "moments after" the U.S. tariffs took effect.

These include energy products, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), coal, and crude oil; as well as farm equipment.

Reuters reports that companies such as PVH Corp, which is the holding company of fashion brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger; and the biotechnology firm Illumina, which specialises in DNA sequencing and other life sciences technologies, are also facing retaliatory measures.

Both companies have been accused of “discriminatory measures against Chinese enterprises” and damaging the “legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies", according to China’s Commerce Ministry.

Both companies were added to China’ “unreliable entity” list and can be subject to fines, and trade restrictions, and their foreign staff may have their work permits revoked.

China’s commerce ministry also announced that it was imposing export controls on critical metals and technologies, such as tungsten, tellurium, and other critical elements, effective immediately.

The metals are described by the Guardian as "essential for advanced technologies", such as the aerospace industry, as well as clean energy equipment such as solar panels.

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Top image via Unsplash & Wikimedia

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