Details
📋 Investigation launched: China’s market regulator SAMR has opened an antitrust probe into Qualcomm. The US chip giant allegedly completed its acquisition of Israeli auto-chip startup Autotalks without notifying the authority. Qualcomm said it is cooperating with regulators.
🧾 Background: In March 2024, SAMR had formally asked Qualcomm to file the deal. Two days later, the company said it would drop the acquisition — but went through with it in June 2025.
📉 Market reaction: Qualcomm’s shares fell about 5% on Friday after news of the probe broke.
⚙️ Signal from Beijing: The case is part of a broader wave of Chinese actions against US tech firms, including new export rules on rare earths and investigations into Nvidia.
Big Picture
Qualcomm is one of China’s most important tech suppliers, symbolizing the deep mutual dependence between the two countries. With nearly half of its revenue coming from China, Beijing wields significant leverage over the company.
The investigation underscores that Chinese antitrust law also applies to deals made abroad — a reminder of how deeply politics and business now intertwine in the global tech race.
The China Survival Guide for Western Businesses
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