China Slaps Nvidia with Monopoly Claims Amid US-China Trade Drama

China's market regulator has accused Nvidia, a major US computer chipmaker, of violating the country's anti-monopoly laws. Although the regulator did not specify exactly how Nvidia broke the rules, it announced that the investigation would continue. This development comes as US and Chinese officials are meeting in Spain for trade talks, hoping to resolve ongoing disputes between the world's two largest economies.

During these talks, US President Donald Trump suggested that a deal had been reached to prevent a ban on TikTok, the popular social media app. TikTok was facing a possible ban in the United States, but the outcome of the negotiations seems to have given the app a chance to remain available. The trade discussions in Spain were led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. After the meeting, Mr. Bessent said the talks were productive and focused mainly on TikTok. He also mentioned that further trade negotiations would take place in about a month at a different location.

The last major meeting between US and Chinese trade officials was in July, when they agreed to extend a truce on tariffs for another 90 days, until November 10. This truce helped reduce import taxes that had been imposed on each other's goods. Recently, China introduced new rules regarding computer chips, which many see as a response to US restrictions on selling advanced semiconductors to Chinese companies. The talks in Madrid were expected to address which chips, including those made by Nvidia, would be allowed into China. The BBC has reached out to Nvidia for comment, but the company has not responded yet.

President Trump, who had previously called for TikTok to be banned, has changed his position and delayed the ban three times. On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump announced that a deal had been made to save a company that young people in the US care about, and that he would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon. He emphasized that the relationship between the US and China remains strong. Many expected the deadline for the TikTok ban to expire soon, but it may be extended. Trump's attitude toward TikTok softened after he gained popularity on the app during the 2024 presidential election. In August, the White House even launched its own official TikTok account. With around 170 million users in the US, TikTok is one of the most widely used social media platforms in the world.