Review №4 of Chinese Antitrust News from the Experts of the BRICS Competition Centre
- Top 10 Market Regulation News Stories of 2025
- Kuaishou Fined $17 Million
- Administrative Meeting with Amap Taxi
- Episode 3 of “Overseas Antitrust Regulation”: The United Kingdom
Top 10 Market Regulation News Stories of 2025
SAMR has released its Top 10 Market Regulation News Stories for 2025. Among them:
- Removing Barriers to the Free Flow of Production Factors and Resources
As part of this effort, a revised version of the PRC Anti-Unfair Competition Law was published in 2025. In addition, the Measures for the Implementation of the Fair Competition Review System came into force, the Provisions on the Prohibition of Anti-Competitive Agreements were issued, and 10 antitrust guidelines (covering sectors such as pharmaceuticals, public utilities, etc.) were released.
- Measures to Promote the Development of the Private Sector
In April 2025, SAMR published a list of 37 measures to support private enterprises, aimed at removing market access barriers and strengthening standardized and fair regulation. On May 20, the PRC Law on Promoting the Development of the Private Economy was adoptedапреле 2025 года SAMR.
- Intensified Enforcement Against Unfair Competition
In the spring, the Chinese regulator announced its intention to review the sale of CK Hutchison’s ports in Panama. In the autumn, the authority held a “regulatory interview” with Huolala, one of China’s most popular freight service platforms. The results of the three-year campaign (launched in 2023) against anti-competitive practices in socially significant markets were also summarized: 35 cases involving anti-competitive agreements and 25 cases of abuse of dominance were investigated; total fines and confiscations amounted to approximately $420 million.
- Increased Regulatory Focus on Livestream Marketing and the Food Delivery Market
Since 2025, SAMR has stepped up efforts to regulate the livestream e-commerce sector, which had previously remained in a “grey area.” An investigation was launched against Chengdu Kuaigou Technology, an online shopping platform owned by the Chinese short-video hosting service Kuaishou. In addition, SAMR, jointly with the Cyberspace Administration of China, developed measures to regulate live-commerce.
To address violations on food delivery platforms, a recommended national standard (“Basic Requirements for the Management of Food Delivery Platform Services”) was issued and implemented.
- Comprehensive Measures Against “Involutionary” Competition
As part of efforts to combat “involutionary” competition, SAMR introduced a number of regulatory documents, issued pricing rules for online platforms and guidelines on platform fees, and—together with relevant authorities—launched a thematic campaign to ensure the quality and safety of industrial products sold online, among other initiatives.
Source: SAMR
Kuaishou Fined $17 Million
The Beijing Municipal Cyberspace Administration imposed a fine of approximately $17 million on the short-video platform Kuaishou. The company had previously been investigated for disseminating obscene content during livestreams and was ultimately found responsible for failing to fulfill its obligations to ensure online content security.
Immediately after the decision was published, Kuaishou issued an apology. In its statement, the company said that due to technical oversights, emergency response measures had not been implemented in a timely manner, resulting in the publication of a large amount of pornographic and other vulgar content, which had a serious negative impact on the audience. Kuaishou pledged to prioritize safety, improve long-term content governance mechanisms, and faithfully fulfill its social responsibilities.
Sources: WeChat, Global Times
Administrative Meeting with Amap Taxi
SAMR held a “regulatory interview” with the ride-hailing aggregator Amap Taxi. The issues raised included ineffective management of partner ride-hailing platforms, underpricing, and inadequate emergency response measures. The authority required the platform to conduct a review of its operations and take targeted measures to rectify violations and effectively protect the lawful rights and interests of drivers. The authorities emphasized that the platform operator should focus on:
- More reasonable management of partner ride-hailing platforms (aggregated services);
- Standardizing platform operations and improving order traceability;
- Protecting the lawful rights and interests of drivers (ensuring uninterrupted complaint channels and prompt responses to all requests);
- Strengthening oversight of driving safety;
- Improving drivers’ working conditions.
Amap Taxi stated that it would fully implement the required measures, draw appropriate lessons from the situation, eliminate all violations, and faithfully fulfill its obligations while maintaining a fair and honest competitive environment.
Source: WeChat
Episode 3 of “Overseas Antitrust Regulation”: The United Kingdom
SAMR has launched an infographic series describing antitrust legislation and regulatory systems in other jurisdictions. The third publication focuses on the United Kingdom, outlining the key applicable laws, the criteria for filing merger control notifications, and potential anti-competitive violations.
The first episode covered U.S. antitrust law, and the second focused on the European Union.
Source: SAMR
