Categories
Brief Consumer Economics & Policy Law & Regulation

Chinese regulators warn platforms on monopolistic tactics

China’s market regulator has warned that internet platforms demanding merchants offering the “lowest price across the internet” may face antitrust action, reports the South China Morning Post. This is the latest part of a campaign from Beijing to curb malpractice. The “lowest-price” requirement, where platforms bar merchants from selling cheaper elsewhere, is one of eight potential […]

Categories
Banking & Finance Brief Economics & Policy Law & Regulation

Beijing cracks down on high-cost lending

China’s financial regulators are tightening controls on high-cost consumer lending, reports Caixin. This move could reshape business models across the country’s fast-growing consumer lending sector, including US-listed Chinese lending platforms. The crackdown highlights Beijing’s effort to contain household debt risks without undermining consumer spending, which policymakers continue to promote as a pillar of economic recovery.  Authorities […]

Categories
Brief Economics & Trade Law & Regulation Manufacturing

Beijing to rein in steel exports

China will require export licenses for nearly all steel products starting Jan 1, 2026, reports Caixin. The move is aimed to rein in surging overseas shipments that have drawn global scrutiny and fueled trade disputes. The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly announced the measure, noting that the licensing regime will cover […]

Categories
Banking & Finance Brief Investment Law & Regulation

Authorities investigate RMB 20bn freeze at Zhejiang asset exchange

Provincial and municipal authorities in Zhejiang have established special task forces to address a mounting default crisis at Zhejiang Zhejin Asset Operation, reports Caixin. The licensed financial asset exchange has suspended payouts on wealth management products, stranding nearly 10,000 investors. The crisis, involving more than RMB 20 billion ($2.8 billion) in financial products, began in late […]

Categories
Brief Law & Regulation

China CAC chief warns of AI dangers

China’s top internet regulator has expressed concerns over the power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential for disruption, reflecting Beijing’s balancing act in trying to leverage but also control ChatGPT-style technologies, reports the South China Morning Post. Zhuang Rongwen, director at the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the agency in charge of generative […]