China’s Market Regulator Commits to “Top-level Design and Policy Supply” for Internet Platforms

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has flagged the maintenance of strong regulation and scrutiny of Chinese Internet platform economy.

At a meeting on the regulation of Internet transactions held on 1 April, SAMR called for Internet regulatory authorities to focus on seven key areas in 2022, including:

1. The maintenance of an excellent Internet market environment.
2. Strengthening top-level design and policy supply in relation to major problems in the development of platform economies.
3. Strengthening regulation of platform compliance with a focus on prevention of innovation-related risk.
4. Strengthening comprehensive governance of platforms based on public feedback concerning outstanding problems.
5. Strengthening the development of national Internet supervisory platforms with a focus on comprehensive online regtech.
6. Strengthening the development of national Internet market regulation and service demonstration zones.
7. Strengthening regulation of commodities trading markets and contracts with a focus on market standardisation and social fairness.