Top developments and predictions for Anti-Trust in China 

China

For the Year of the Rat, we have taken a look back at the top 10 developments of 2019 and towards what lies ahead with our top 10 predictions of 2020, for you and your business operating in China.

A key development in 2019 was the adoption of a more unified approach to implementation rules with the issuance of three Interim Provisions, which provide clearer guidance to monopoly agreements, abuse of dominance and abuse of administrative power. With the draft amendment to the PRC Anti-Monopoly Law issued in 2020, we expect to see a clearer regulatory regime and heavier sanctions. Ultimately, we expect to see greater scrutiny by the regulator (SAMR) on the digital economy, especially in relation to the dominant positions of internet platforms, and we shall also keep a watchful eye on the sectors that are crucial to public welfare and daily life, such as the pharmaceutical and automobile industries.

As always, we will be closely monitoring these ongoing developments and predictions during the course of the year, providing you with regular updates and analysis as they happen through our various free know-how platforms: our eAlert service, Law-Now, LinkedIn at ‘CMS Asia Pacific’ and WeChat at ‘CMSAsia’.

If you would like to discuss any of the developments with us, please do let us know.