Market regulator to secure fair competition between public and private firms

BEIJING — China's market regulator on Nov 5 said it would secure a fair competition between public and private companies.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) promised to revamp the policy system for competition and stick to the principle of competitive neutrality for State-owned and private enterprises, that is to be neutral in regulation, tax and debt and to treat all market entities fairly and equally.

"We will strengthen law enforcement to regulate the market and enhance market fairness," said Zhang Mao, minister of the SAMR.

The SAMR will inspect fair competition in an all-around manner and adopt a new regulation mechanism to concretely reduce the burden of the companies.

By the end of this year, it will carry out self-checks on annulling documents that would impede the establishment of a uniform market and fair competition.

The administration will also launch special actions to crack down on practices constraining market competition and conduct leading to monopoly, including behaviors of excessive charges, forced transactions and unreasonable trading requirements.

"By the end of 2018, policies favoring regional protectionism and market barriers will be abolished," Zhang pledged. "We will unswervingly correct behaviors excluding or restricting competition through administrative power abuse."

The SAMR also decided to establish and improve the mechanism to protect the companies' intellectual property rights overseas.

"We will cut red tape to create an open and transparent environment for market access and provide more efficient service for private enterprises," Zhang said.

Data showed there were 106 million market entities in China at the end of September 2018, 95 percent of which are individual and private businesses. Private enterprises contributed to more 80 percent of China's urban employment and 90 percent of its new jobs.