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Beijing Drops Google Antitrust Case as Focus Shifts to Nvidia

By  |  September 18, 2025

China has decided to close its competition probe into Google as trade discussions with the United States intensify, according to the Financial Times. The move comes at a time when Washington and Beijing are negotiating on sensitive issues including TikTok, semiconductor exports, and tariffs.

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    The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) launched the investigation earlier this year, focusing on Google’s Android operating system and its influence over Chinese smartphone makers such as Oppo and Xiaomi. However, the Financial Times reported that officials have now opted to terminate the case, a decision described in China as “zhongzhi.”

    People familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that the withdrawal of the Google probe is seen as a strategic shift. Regulators are now redirecting attention toward Nvidia, the American chipmaker whose technology is central to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Earlier this week, SAMR accused Nvidia of violating antitrust rules in its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies, a deal that Beijing had conditionally approved in 2020. If regulators conclude that Nvidia breached the law, the company could face fines of up to 10 percent of its previous year’s revenue.

    Related: China Orders Tech Giants to Stop Nvidia AI Chip Purchases

    According to the Financial Times, Chinese authorities have also prohibited major domestic technology companies from purchasing Nvidia’s latest AI processors, cutting off access to the RTX Pro 6000D, which was tailored for the Chinese market. Firms such as ByteDance and Alibaba were ordered to halt testing and orders of the chip.

    At the same time, Beijing’s decision to drop the Google case is interpreted by analysts as a signal to Washington of its willingness to be flexible in the broader negotiations. The United States and China have held several rounds of talks in Europe, with the latest taking place in Madrid. Topics included tariffs, export restrictions, and the future of TikTok, which remains under intense scrutiny in Washington.

    Although Google’s search services remain blocked in China, the company has maintained a presence through cloud services and advertising sales to Chinese firms targeting overseas markets. Two individuals told the Financial Times that the company has not yet received an official notification about the termination of the probe.

    Source: The Financial Times