San Diego-based Qualcomm, a major supplier of mobile phone chips, previously paid a US$975-million fine to resolve a Chinese antitrust case.

China has launched an antitrust investigation into U.S. semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm QCOM-Q over its acquisition of Israel’s Autotalks, China’s market regulator said on Friday.

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said the probe would look at whether Qualcomm violated China’s antitrust law by not lawfully declaring some details in its acquisition of the Israeli chip designer.

Qualcomm’s shares were down 2.8 per cent in premarket trading.

San Diego-based Qualcomm said in June it had finalized the deal for Autotalks, which makes communications chips to help prevent car crashes, without disclosing the size, or how it had resolv

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