Antitrust regulators from nine nations had been required to sign off on the merger because of its potential impact on their economies. Eight others, including the US and Japan, had approved the deal. Back in April, China postponed the government’s decision on Qualcomm’s NXP acquisition until 25 July, citing the need for reviewing the deal on antitrust grounds. A month earlier, the Chinese government reorganized three agencies responsible for enforcing antitrust laws into a single authority known as the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).
Chinese competitors have expressed concern that the combined entity would extend Qualcomm’s patent licensing business into m-payments and autonomous driving. Details of what assets Qualcomm has agreed to shed in order to reach the agreement have not been made public, nor has the timing of the merger.
