CRI听力:Chinese top lawmakers amend anti-unfair competition law

Yang Heqing is the deputy director of the Economic Law Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.

He observes that the previously existing law against unfair competition, which was enacted in 1993, had fallen out of date.

"It is, in fact, an important law in our socialist market economic law system. It has been implemented for over 20 years since it was enacted. The revision will improve provisions on unfair competition based on new situations and new problems related to unfair competition and practices, in order to make it adapt to the economic and social changes of our country over these years."

The amendment features more details added to the provision on improper online market competition.

According to Yang Hongcan, the director of the anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition law enforcement division with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the revised law states that e-commerce operators shall not deceive or mislead consumers by presenting falsified information. 

"The revision to the law has improved Article Nine with further refined details about false advertising. That's to say, in addition to operators who falsely advertise their own commodities, those who help others by faking sales volume, credit evaluation, fabricating transactions and awards, and deleting negative online reviews will also be severely punished."

Yang also says illegal operators, such as Internet ghostwriters and those who leave malicious negative comments to blackmail vendors, will receive severe punishment.

Meanwhile, the official has pointed out that the law also advises law enforcement agencies to use caution and avoid stifling proper innovative business practices.

"As for the fair competition on the Internet, generally we take a more lenient and inclusive approach. We'd strike a balance between the impact of technological development on fair competition in the online market and the cultivation of innovation. Market order and innovation are equally important." 

In addition, the revision redefines unfair competition as actions that violate this law, disturb market order or infringe on the rights and interests of other operators or consumers during production and operations. 

It also states that industrial associations shall uphold market order through self-discipline and by guiding their members to compete lawfully. 

The revised law will come into force on January 1, 2018.

For CRI, I'm Guan Chao.