Review № 10 of Chinese Antitrust News from the Experts of the BRICS Competition Centre
- SAMR Publishes First Industry Standard for Oversight of Individual Online Stores
- SAMR Summarizes China's Food Safety Law Enforcement Practices
- China's Didi Resumes Food Delivery Business in Brazil
- China Registers 346 Generative AI Services
- SAMR Publishes "Temporary Measures for Transfer of Online Transaction Data"
- China Cleans Up Internet of Low-Quality Celebrity Content
- China Clarifies Rules for Cross-Border Data Transfer
- Protectionism in Action: US Imposes Record 145% Tariff
SAMR Publishes First Industry Standard for Oversight of Individual Online Stores
SAMR has issued the first industry standard — “Rules for the Individual Online Stores Account Management”. This document sets uniform requirements for marketplaces working with individuals.
The rules provide for a simplified registration procedure for private sellers with a minimum required set of documents. In the process of work, marketplaces must ensure the transparency of information about stores, promptly respond to consumer complaints and monitor sellers' compliance with the law. Particular attention is paid to protecting the rights of buyers when stores are closed.
The new rules also oblige marketplaces to keep records of data on the activities of such stores and provide this information to regulatory authorities. This will create a basis for smart control over online trade.
Source: SAMR
SAMR Summarizes China's Food Safety Law Enforcement Practices
SAMR has released the first methodological guide to food safety control, containing generalized experience of law enforcement practice from all over the country.
The document analyzes seven cases of violations most frequently encountered in the work of regulatory authorities. Among them are cases of illegal addition of drug derivatives to food products, various types of violations during the sale of products during online broadcasts, as well as violations of the rules for the transportation of food products.
Each case is described in detail, an analysis of the court decision is given and an explanation of the applied regulatory requirements is given. Local regulatory officials can refer to this document when considering similar cases.
The document pays special attention to the differentiated approach. For minor violations that were promptly corrected and did not entail serious consequences, the possibility of mitigation or cancellation of punishment is provided. At the same time, the need for a tough response to violations that pose a threat to consumer health or cause a wide public outcry is emphasized.
Source: SAMR
China's Didi Resumes Food Delivery Business in Brazil
Chinese tech giant Didi Global has announced its return to the Brazilian food delivery market under the local brand “99 Food” after suspending business in 2019, unable to withstand competition from local iFood, which reportedly held a huge market share of over 80% at the time.
Didi first entered the Brazilian market in 2018 through the acquisition of local ride-hailing platform “99”, launching transportation and financial services. Over the years, the company has managed to build an extensive network of services that covers 3,300 cities in Brazil, has 50 million active users and 700,000 drivers.
The company's resumption of food delivery services in Brazil is in line with Didi's global development strategy. The company currently has a presence in 14 countries, including key markets in Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
Source: YicaiGlobal
China Registers 346 Generative AI Services
The Cyberspace Administration of China has announced a large-scale registration of generative AI services. As of the end of March 2025, 346 generative AI services have been registered.
According to the requirements, all generative AI applications are required to clearly indicate the name of the model used and its registration number. This information must be posted prominently on the interface or product description page.
Source: Weixin
SAMR Publishes "Temporary Measures for Transfer of Online Transaction Data"
SAMR has published "Temporary Measures for the Transfer of Online Transaction Data". The new rules are aimed at standardizing marketplace reporting and improving the efficiency of regulation of the digital economy.
According to the document, marketplace operators are required to provide regulators with four categories of data:
1. Identification information of sellers (submitted twice a year - in January and July)
2. Data on violations (within five working days of detection)
3. Data on assistance to authorities in conducting investigations
4. Data on transactions for specific goods and services
Particular attention is paid to the protection of personal data and trade secrets. The rules provide for the principle of "minimum necessity", limiting the amount of information requested only to what is necessary for regulatory purposes, while preserving the right to administrative appeal in case of abuse of authority by regulators.
Source: SAMR
China Cleans Up Internet of Low-Quality Celebrity Content
China's cyberspace administration continues to crack down on entertainment abuses and "fan communities." The latest campaign saw 12 popular accounts blocked and restricted for spreading scandalous rumors about celebrities.
According to regulators, these accounts systematically violated rules by posting hidden photos and videos of celebrities, unverified "exclusives" and "insider" information, and using clickbait headlines and false announcements to boost reach.
Chinese internet regulators plan to tighten controls over platforms' compliance with their obligations, as well as combat vulgar content and popularity manipulation in the online space.
Source: Weixin
China Clarifies Rules for Cross-Border Data Transfer
The Cyberspace Administration of China has clarified the requirements for cross-border data transfer. The relevant rules apply only to valuable information and personal information, while the cross-border transfer of other data is not restricted in any way.
As for valuable information, it can only be transferred after verification that it does not pose a threat to national security and public interests. For cross-border transfer of personal data, the law requires security assessment, security certification, and standard contracts.
Special rules apply to pilot free trade zones, which can draw up their own lists of data prohibited from being transferred across borders. At present, lists have been approved for 17 industries, including automobile manufacturing, civil aviation, retail, and pharmaceuticals.
Source: Weixin
Protectionism in Action: US Imposes Record 145% Tariff
On April 2, US President Donald Trump stunned the world with huge tariffs that he said would prevent other countries from “ripping off” the US. The massive tariffs affected about 180 countries and territories. In the published list, the highest tariffs were set for Vietnam - 46%, Sri Lanka - 44%, Cambodia - 49%. According to the president and his advisers, the goal is to make the tariffs so painful that they will force companies to manufacture their products in the US, which, in their opinion, will create more jobs in the country and raise wages.
China immediately raised tariffs on American goods in response to Trump's actions. In a rapid escalation, the US and China dramatically tightened mutual tariffs in a matter of days: US tariffs on China were increased to 145%, and China's on the US - to 125%. Global markets reacted sharply negatively to the US President's decision: indices of key stock exchanges showed a record decline, reflecting investors' fears about Trump's protectionist policies.
