Cover Story: Tightening the Rulebook to Make China’s Internet Platforms Fairer

State Council calls for measures to ensure orderly competition and fairer business practices among internet platforms

China’s internet platform economy is coming under closer scrutiny as a new wave of regulatory action gets underway.

Unlike previous rounds, which focused on curbing platform expansion and monopolistic behavior, this phase is putting the emphasis on setting rules, increasing algorithm transparency and balancing the power dynamics among suppliers, users and platforms.

On Nov. 22, 2024, Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting, underscoring the importance of orderly competition and enhanced regulatory norms. The meeting urged platforms to adopt fair business practices, improve quality and safeguard the rights of both customers and those who work in the sector.

Proposed measures included publicizing online complaints and refining labor practices to improve the role of platforms in job creation.

A veteran from the service platform said the meeting set priorities for the sector which included preventing price wars between e-commerce platforms, clarifying refund policies, increasing the transparency of algorithms and addressing unfair practices such as price discrimination and the exploitation of employees.