China’s Antitrust Probe Of Microsoft Is Over Its Internet Explorer Browser, Media Player

Chinese antitrust officials gave a fuller picture of the country’s investigation of the Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Tuesday, saying they’re looking into how the company distributes its Internet Explorer browser and Windows Media Player there. Zhang Mao, minister of China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce, or SAIC, said the nation also would probe how Microsoft sells its Office and Windows software.

“Microsoft is suspected of incomplete disclosure of information related to Windows and Office software, as well as problems in distribution and sales of its media player and browser,” Zhang said, according to the Wall Street Journal. He didn’t give any other details regarding the investigation, but said the Redmond, Wash.-based company has yet to fully cooperate with the probe.

“It is still too early to say what the results of the investigation would be,” Zhang said. “But no matter what, companies must obey Chinese laws.”

A Microsoft representative said the company was “serious about complying with China’s laws and committed to addressing SAIC’s questions and concerns.”

In July, the SAIC said investigators held surprise inspections at Microsoft offices throughout China, confiscating documents and emails there. Zhang said the company’s executives “have said it would actively cooperate with our probe.”

China’s investigation of Microsoft comes as it looks at several foreign companies operating there, including the Mercedes-Benz unit of Daimler AG (FRA:DAI) and mobile processor manufacturer Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM), according to Reuters. The probes have increased worry about Chinese protectionism impacting multinational industries.

The SAIC said this month that Microsoft was suspected of violating China’s anti-monopoly law over problems with compatibility and bundling of its Office application and Windows operating-system software.

This article was updated at 12:42 p.m. EDT to include comments from Microsoft.