China's antitrust investigation into Google, which does not offer most of its consumer-facing services including search and email in the country, seems to make little sense on the surface, but analysts said the move could be seen as a warning shot to the US and a threat to the Android operating system.

The Chinese government's move to open an antitrust probe into Google is the latest development in a long and tangled relationship that goes back to the early 2000s. The investigation was one of a flurry of Chinese retaliatory measures announced Tuesday in response to a 10% tariff imposed by U.

AP China and U.S. national flags are seen on display outside a souvenir shop in Beijing on Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) China countered US President Donald Trump's across-the-board tariffs on Chinese products with tariffs on select U.