Review № 7 of Chinese Antitrust News from the Experts of the BRICS Competition Centre
- New rules to regulate live commerce and platform algorithm transparency
- 104 standards to control food safety
- China imposes retaliatory tariffs on Canadian goods
- China imposes sanctions against US companies
- More than 30,000 national standards have become available online
- China expands access for Hong Kong and Macau in the field of compulsory certification (CCC)
- Private enterprises are the key force of China's development
- TSMC to invest $100 billion in chip production in the US
- Artificial intelligence in the spotlight at "two sessions"
- List of experts to oversee inspection and testing bodies published
- Standard for management of official vehicles introduced
- Antitrust compliance seminar for the pharmaceutical sector
New rules to regulate live commerce and platform algorithm transparency
Head of SAMR Luo Wen announced measures to optimize control over e-commerce platforms at the NPC session. Key areas:
1. Platform regulation:
● Adoption of the "Online Commerce Platform Regulation Rules" to combat abuses (restricting automatic price adjustment to the "market minimum" that provokes dumping and prohibiting unjustified write-offs from sellers under the "refund only" rule).
● Simplification and publication of platform tariff plans to reduce the burden on small businesses.
2. Live commerce control:
● Introduction of "Live Commerce Regulation Methods" in 2025 to strengthen product quality control and platform responsibility for content, as well as to combat fake sales, markups and counterfeiting.
3. Algorithm transparency:
● Requirement for platforms to disclose the operating principles of algorithms, excluding "price discrimination" (big data killing).
● Protecting the rights of couriers and other industry workers from rating manipulation.
Source: SAMR
104 standards to control food safety
SAMR has adopted 104 national food safety standards aimed at improving the accuracy of laboratory tests and protecting consumer health.
Source: People's Daily
China imposes retaliatory tariffs on Canadian goods
On March 8, 2025, the Customs Tariff Committee of the State Council of the People's Republic of China announced the introduction of retaliatory duties on a number of goods from Canada from March 20th, 2025. This decision was a reaction to similar measures by Canada - from October 2024, Canada introduced 100% duties on Chinese electric vehicles and 25% on steel and aluminum. Chinese duties:
● 100% duty: rapeseed oil, cake, peas.
● 25% duty: seafood, pork.
China calls Canada's actions protectionism, violating WTO rules and infringing on the legitimate interests of the PRC.
Source: People's Daily 1, People's Daily 2
China imposes sanctions against US companies
On March 4, 2025, China added the American company Illumina to the "unreliable entity list" and imposed a ban on the export of genomic sequencing equipment to China due to market violations.
China also added 10 American companies (including TecCom and others) to the "unreliable entity list" for threats to national security. The reasons: the companies' participation in arms supplies to Taiwan or military-technical cooperation with the island, which violates the sovereignty and interests of the PRC.
The Ministry of Commerce of the PRC added 15 American companies (including Leidos) to the export control list. The measures are aimed at protecting national security and fulfilling international non-proliferation obligations. The main restrictions: a complete ban on the export of dual-use goods (technology, equipment) to these companies and an immediate cessation of current supplies. The decision was made on the basis of the "Export Control Law" and the rules governing dual-use goods.
Source: People's Daily 1, People's Daily 2, People's Daily 3
More than 30,000 national standards have become available online
SAMR has published 28,694 recommended, 1,523 mandatory and 267 technical standards on the National Standards — Public Service platform for free viewing and downloading. Since the beginning of 2023, the platform has recorded an increase in interest: online views have increased by 17 million, document reading — by 340 thousand, and downloads have exceeded 1.5 million. The total resource traffic has reached 400 million views with 70 million users. The agency plans to expand the platform's functionality, promptly publish new standards and strengthen their role in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development.
Source: SAMR
China expands access for Hong Kong and Macau in the field of compulsory certification (CCC)
Since March 1, 2025, SAMR has simplified the rules for cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao certification authorities under the Compulsory Product Certification (CCC) system. The changes affect the guidelines for implementing CEPA agreements with special administrative regions:
● Hong Kong and Macao certification authorities accredited by local authorities are authorized to conduct inspections of enterprises and random checks of certified products not only in mainland China but also worldwide through partnerships with Chinese certification centers.
● The requirements for cooperation agreements have been transferred from a permit-based system to a notification-based system, speeding up cooperation between institutions.
Source: SAMR
Private enterprises are the key force of China's development
According to SAMR, the number of private enterprises in China increased from 10.85 million in 2012 to 56.7 million by early 2025. In the high-tech sector, their share among the nation's high-tech companies increased from 62.4% in 2012 to over 92% in 2025.
Source: SAMR
TSMC to invest $100 billion in chip production in the US
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has announced plans to invest $100 billion to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the United States. The investment includes five new factories in Arizona, which aims to meet growing demand for chips and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers. US President Donald Trump welcomed the move, seeing it as a step toward strengthening national security and economic stability. However, despite the announced investment, the Trump administration continues to consider imposing tariffs on semiconductor imports from Taiwan, which could impact the cost of electronics, including smartphones. TSMC’s investment in the US is seen as a strategic move amid global competition and a desire to diversify manufacturing capacity. However, it also raises questions about the impact on Taiwan’s domestic industry and global supply chains.
Source: SCMP
Artificial intelligence in the spotlight at "two sessions"
At China’s annual “Two Sessions,” a key policy event that determines the country’s direction, AI and DeepSeek were central topics of discussion. The government’s work report mentioned “embodied AI” and “large-scale AI models” for the first time, highlighting China’s commitment to supporting these industries and expanding AI applications across a range of fields.
Lawmakers and policy advisers discussed the need to develop regulations to encourage AI development and prevent its misuse. Particular attention was paid to democratizing access to cutting-edge technology, preventing a technology gap, and ensuring that innovation is not the preserve of rich countries.
Issues of training talent for the rapidly evolving AI industry were also raised, as was the need to enact laws governing the use of AI, including intellectual property protection and international cooperation.
Source: SCMP, People's Daily
List of experts to oversee inspection and testing bodies published
SAMR announced the establishment of an expert pool to supervise the activities of inspection and testing organizations. The pool includes 637 technical experts and 231 law enforcement officers recommended by various government departments and provincial offices. The experts cover areas such as environmental monitoring, vehicle inspection, food testing, and medical device testing. The purpose of establishing this pool is to provide professional support for inspections of inspection and testing institutions, strengthen interdepartmental cooperation, and enhance the objectivity and scientific validity of supervision activities.
Source: SAMR
Standard for management of official vehicles introduced
SAMR has approved the first national standard GB/T 45241—2025 “Service Vehicle Management Platform Data Specification”. The document sets out requirements for data management at all stages of the vehicle life cycle, including data format, collection, storage, processing and security.
Source: SAMR
Antitrust compliance seminar for the pharmaceutical sector
SAMR held an educational seminar on pharmaceutical antitrust in Beijing. The event aimed to explain the new “Guidelines on Antitrust Regulation of Medicines” issued by the State Council. The event was attended by representatives from the National Health Insurance Administration, the State Medical Administration, and 200 companies and industry associations.
Source: SAMR
