China's market regulator sets sights on disorderly competition

China's market regulator convened a meeting with some of the country's largest corporations on Thursday in an attempt to rein in disorderly competition and promote a more coordinated global expansion strategy.

The first corporate fair competition symposium of 2026, organized by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), brought together executives from firms such as the China Minmetals Corporation, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, CATL, BYD, Chery Automobile, Didi and Meituan.

With the agenda of regulating corporate competition and fostering a healthier environment for companies expanding abroad, the meeting came as Chinese firms face rising global scrutiny and intensifying competition in sectors from electric vehicles to digital services.

Meng Yang, deputy head of SAMR, told participants the regulator would step up antitrust enforcement and compliance guidance, while cracking down on cutthroat competition — a term used in China to refer to excessive, self-defeating rivalry that erodes margins and innovation. 

Meng added that authorities would push forward institutional opening-up in the competition policy sphere and provide stronger support for companies seeking to expand internationally.