China probes Google, blacklists two US firms amid trade tensions

• Published On: 04 February 2025 at 17:45

China has launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., and added two US companies, PVH Corp and Illumina, to its "unreliable entity list."

This comes after the US imposed new tariffs on Chinese goods, signalling a significant escalation in trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies.

According to China's Commerce Ministry, PVH Corp, the owner of brands such as Calvin Klein, and biotechnology firm Illumina have been added to the "unreliable entity list" for allegedly taking "discriminatory measures against Chinese enterprises" and harming Chinese companies' "legitimate rights and interests".

The designation restricts the firms' trade, investment, and business activities in China.

China's State Administration of Market Regulation confirmed that it had launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Google, accusing the tech giant of violating the country's competition laws.

"We have launched an investigation into Google in accordance with the law," the agency said in a statement, without providing any additional information on the specific violations under investigation.

Although Google's search engine is blocked in China, the company continues to do business with local partners, including advertisers.

Google, PVH, and Illumina have yet to respond to requests for comment.