Review №16 of Chinese Antitrust News from the Experts of the BRICS Competition Centre
- FAS Russia and SAMR Sign Memorandum of Understanding
- DOJ Charges Chinese Container Manufacturers with Horizontal Collusion
- 38 Measures Already Adopted to Implement the Law “On Promoting the Development of the Private Economy”
- Plenary Meeting of the Antimonopoly Expert Advisory Group
- Campaign to Eliminate Barriers to the Creation of a Unified Market
- Report on the Development of China’s Business Environment in 2026
FAS Russia and SAMR Sign Memorandum of Understanding
The document was signed by the Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS Russia), Maxim Shaskolskiy, and the Head of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), Luo Wen. The memorandum outlines the areas of cooperation between the Russian and Chinese antitrust authorities for 2026–2027.
“The parties agreed to cooperate in the fields of antitrust enforcement, combating unfair competition, and monitoring compliance with advertising legislation,” FAS stated. The cooperation will also include exchanges of information on legislation and regulatory practices, the state of competition in key sectors — including digital markets — and collaboration in enforcement activities.
The document provides for annual meetings, cooperation between border regional authorities, and participation in conferences, seminars, and training programs.
On May 20, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping also signed a joint Russia-China statement on further strengthening comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, as well as deepening good-neighborly relations, friendship, and cooperation. In particular, the statement noted that China “welcomes the Russian side’s initiative to establish a grain (commodity) exchange within BRICS.”
Sources: SAMR, FAS Russia, Kremlin
DOJ Charges Chinese Container Manufacturers with Horizontal Collusion
On May 19, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice published an indictment in an antitrust case accusing four Chinese container manufacturers — Singamas Container Holdings, China International Marine Containers, Shanghai Universal Logistics Equipment, and CXIC Group Containers — along with seven company executives, of participating in a horizontal conspiracy to restrict output and fix prices for standard dry freight containers between November 2019 and January 2024, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.
According to the indictment, during the pandemic the companies nearly doubled global container prices, while their profits at the peak increased almost one hundredfold, contributing to the global supply chain crisis.
To raise prices, the companies allegedly used various methods, including:
- limiting the number of shifts and operating hours for each production line;
- installing 87 surveillance cameras across all 49 production lines to ensure agreed production quotas were not exceeded;
- prohibiting the construction of new manufacturing facilities;
- establishing a fund that imposed financial penalties for violating production restriction agreements.
Notably, the indictment also mentions two anonymous cartel participants — Company A and Company B — although they were not named as defendants. This may indicate that the two companies cooperated extensively with investigators and could qualify for leniency treatment.
38 Measures Already Adopted to Implement the Law “On Promoting the Development of the Private Economy”
May 20, 2026 marked exactly one year since the adoption of China’s Law “On Promoting the Development of the Private Economy.” During this period, SAMR implemented 38 measures aimed at enforcing the law, all designed to help private enterprises strengthen confidence in their development, succeed, and reinforce their market positions through fair competition.
In particular, the regulator reduced the list of prohibited goods and services, conducted campaigns against abuse of administrative power that harms competition, and actively eliminated barriers to equal access to production factors. Many private enterprises report lower market-entry barriers, simplified interregional operations, and broader opportunities to participate in tenders.
SAMR also published the “Key Tasks for Market Regulation Authorities to Promote the Development and Growth of the Private Economy in 2026.” These include 34 items, such as:
- 12 thematic campaigns (for example, eliminating market-access bottlenecks and improving the competitiveness of Chinese companies entering overseas markets);
- 10 policy documents (including the Action Plan to Combat Disorderly Price-Cutting Competition);
- 5 events (including Fair Competition Policy Week);
- 3 pilot projects, among others.
Plenary Meeting of the Antimonopoly Expert Advisory Group
On May 12, a plenary meeting of the Expert Advisory Group of the Anti-Monopoly and Anti-Unfair Competition Commission of the State Council of China was held in Beijing.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that experts should carefully study the new challenges China faces in combating monopolies and unfair competition and strive to conscientiously fulfill their duties.
The meeting also stressed the importance of strengthening the Expert Advisory Group’s role in providing academic support for the Commission’s decisions, developing practical measures and strategies, promoting the high-quality development of competition regulation, and paying greater attention to research on nationally significant issues and matters affecting the urgent needs and interests of the population.
Source: SAMR
Campaign to Eliminate Barriers to the Creation of a Unified Market
SAMR launched a nationwide campaign to eliminate barriers to a unified market and fair competition. The campaign will run from May through December 2026.
The regulator will focus on four main objectives:
- completing the review of a number of major cases by year-end;
- promoting the repeal and revision of measures and policy documents that hinder the formation of a unified national market and fair competition;
- publishing lists of representative cases;
- accelerating the implementation of institutional mechanisms.
In addition, the campaign will target four categories of barriers:
- obstacles to fair market access and independent business operations;
- restrictions on the free movement of goods and production factors;
- discrimination against business entities in certification processes;
- unlawful application of credit rating systems that create hidden barriers in tenders
Source: SAMR
Report on the Development of China’s Business Environment in 2026
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) published the 2026 Report on the Development of China’s Business Environment.
The report consists of five chapters covering the entire business lifecycle, from incorporation to closure. The chapter “Market Entry” focuses on simplifying market access and optimizing bureaucratic procedures such as business registration, project approval and launch procedures, and property registration. The chapter “Ensuring Access to Production Factors” addresses the availability of land, capital, labor, technology, and data. The third chapter, “Business Environment,” presents measures aimed at improving business conditions, including tender standardization, enhancement of the creditworthiness system, stronger intellectual property protection, and optimization of customs clearance models. The chapter “Dispute Resolution” discusses diversified dispute resolution mechanisms and improvements in public legal services. The final chapter, “Business Exit,” describes restructuring procedures within bankruptcy proceedings and simplified company closure mechanisms.
The report also includes a special section highlighting local best practices from various cities and provinces aimed at improving the business environment in line with specific regional conditions.
Source: NDRC
