(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) President Donald Trump’s Saturday round of global tariffs have already created a rift between China and the U.S.-based tech behemoth Google.
Trump implemented a 10% tariff on China through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on Saturday along with a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, according to the president’s Truth Social post.
BREAKING: China launches an antitrust investigation into Google moments after Trump's tariffs https://t.co/GjkKvbSJZs pic.twitter.com/0GsehOdxh8
— Bloomberg (@business) February 4, 2025
American tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico were also set to go into effectTuesday before Trump agreed to a 30-day pause, as the two countries acted to address his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days.
But President Xi apparently isn’t waiting to talk to Trump before responding. China reacted Tuesday by having its State Administration for Market Regulation prepare to launch an investigation into Google for alleged antitrust violations, CNBC reported.
Along with accusing Google of violating its anti-monopoly law, China also announced Tuesday that it will impose tariffs on 15% of coal and liquified natural gas imports from the U.S. and 10% tariffs on American crude oil, farm machinery and certain vehicles, according to the outlet.
🚨BREAKING: China retaliates against President Trump’s tariffs with
• 15% tariffs on coal and natural liquified gas imports from the U.S.
• 10% on crude oil and farm machinery, and certain cars and trucks
China’s tariffs start on February 10. pic.twitter.com/Nr5HkNbNLG
— Julianna Frieman (@JuliannaFrieman) February 4, 2025
Although Google stopped its Internet and search engine services in China in 2010, the American company did not stop helping Chinese businesses use its advertising services, CNBC reported.
During his first term, Trump pressured Google to part ways with Chinese telecommunications company Huawei amid foreign espionage concerns. In May 2019, Google banned Huawei, the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer at the time, from accessing its digital products in compliance with Trump’s executive order prohibiting the use of foreign-owned telecoms equipment deemed a national security threat.
Although Trump did not explicitly name the China-based company in the 2019 executive order, the U.S. Department of Commerce did name Huawei on an ”Entity List” related to the move.
Trump’s approach to trade and technology tensions with China has been highly diplomatic, as the U.S. president gave Chinese company ByteDance a 75-day extension to work out a deal to salvage TikTok’s operation in America.
TikTok went dark just one day before Trump’s inauguration due to a Biden-signed law that finally took effect. Trump swooped in to save the popular video-sharing social media app via a Day One executive order, proposing that the U.S. and China make a deal for joint ownership.
( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Feb 03, 2025, 8:45 PM ET )GREAT INTEREST IN TIKTOK! Would be wonderful for China, and all concerned. pic.twitter.com/98AxkdXO4k
— Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 TRUTH POSTS (@TruthTrumpPosts) February 4, 2025
Trump promoted his TikTok deal idea Monday night on Truth Social, writing, “GREAT INTEREST IN TIKTOK! Would be wonderful for China, and all concerned.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Julianna Frieman is a freelancer for Headline USA. She is also an author at the Daily Caller, The Federalist, and the American Spectator. Follow her on X at @JuliannaFrieman.
