China launches crackdown on barriers impeding unified market, fair competition

BEIJING - Chinese authorities announced on Wednesday a campaign to remove administrative obstacles that stand in the way of building a national unified market and realizing fair competition.

The campaign will target measures and policies that could hinder market entry and exit, the free flow of goods and production factors, as well as the ones that disrupt production and business activities, said the State Administration for Market Regulation, one of the four authorities responsible for the move.

Policy documents, currently in effect, rolled out by central government departments and local governments above the county level across China will be scoured for these obstacles. Those who have drafted and enforced the targeted measures are responsible for abolishing or rectifying them, the administration said.

China pledged in early June to improve its business environment at a faster pace with upcoming measures regarding fair competition, intellectual property rights protection, a unified market and easing market access.