It is not clear whether the move against Ford is directly connected to the broader clash with the United States. China’s antimonopoly authority, the State Administration for Market Regulation, said it was fining Changan Ford for setting minimum prices for its dealers in Chongqing, the inland metropolis where the company is based. That action deprived dealers of the autonomy to set their own prices, the government said.

Chinese regulators have acted against other automakers on similar grounds in the past. Beijing has moved strongly in recent years to shape the way companies in many industries set prices for their products, hoping that this will encourage Chinese consumers to spend with greater confidence.

But the Chinese government tends to enforce certain rules and regulations with greater vigor during times of geopolitical tension, particularly when foreign companies are involved, business groups in China say.

Recently, the Chinese antitrust regulator left Qualcomm in prolonged limbo while it reviewed the American chip maker’s plan to acquire a Dutch competitor. Beijing never formally approved or denied the multibillion-dollar deal, causing it to be abandoned last year, after the Trump administration began raising tariffs on imports of Chinese goods. The authorities in eight other jurisdictions, including the United States, had already given their blessing to the deal. Chinese officials denied that the issue was related to the trade fight.

In a statement on Wednesday, a Ford spokesman said Changan Ford had taken “corrective action” with respect to its sales policies.