The State Administration for Market Regulation unveiled the “Internet Platform Anti-Monopoly Compliance Guidelines” today. These guidelines are designed to bolster and steer internet platform operators in effectively mitigating anti-monopoly compliance risks, thereby fostering innovation and a healthy development trajectory for the platform economy. The “Guidelines” delineate four primary categories of monopoly risks: monopoly agreements, abuse of market dominance, concentration of undertakings, and the misuse of administrative power to exclude or limit competition. They establish explicit compliance “red lines” for platform operators to adhere to.

Simultaneously, the “Guidelines” distill the core tenets of the “Anti-Monopoly Law of the People's Republic of China” into actionable codes of conduct. Taking into account the unique characteristics, business models, and competitive dynamics of the platform economy, they highlight emerging monopoly risks across eight distinct scenarios. These encompass algorithmic collusion among platforms, orchestrating or facilitating the attainment of monopoly agreements, imposing unfairly high prices, engaging in sales below cost, implementing blocking measures (Note: In cases where “block” pertains to a specific term, it has been retained in pinyin in the original context; otherwise, it is translated as “blocking”), employing “either-or” tactics, offering the “lowest price across the entire network,” and practicing differential treatment on platforms. These insights furnish platform operators with precise and highly practical guidance for managing anti-monopoly compliance.