Recently, the State Administration of Market Supervision, based on reports and preliminary investigations and studies, initiated investigations into Alibaba Group Holdings Co., Ltd. for suspected monopolistic behaviors such as "choose one out of two".
This is an important measure for my country to strengthen anti-monopoly supervision in the Internet field, which is conducive to standardizing the order of the industry and promoting the long-term and healthy development of the platform economy.
In recent years, my country's online economy has developed vigorously, and new business formats and new models have emerged one after another, which has played an important role in promoting high-quality economic development and meeting the people's growing needs for a better life.
But at the same time, the online economy is also showing a trend of increasing market concentration by virtue of its data, technology, and capital advantages. Market resources are accelerating to concentrate on leading platforms. There are increasing reports and reports on platform monopoly issues, showing that online There are some risks and hidden dangers in economic development.
The recent meetings of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and the Central Economic Work Conference both clearly requested the strengthening of anti-monopoly and the prevention of disorderly expansion of capital, which received enthusiastic response and widespread support from the society.
It can be seen that anti-monopoly has become an urgent issue concerning the overall situation.
Anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition are inherent requirements for improving the socialist market economy system and promoting high-quality development.
Fair competition is the core of the market economy. Only a fair competitive environment can achieve effective resource allocation and the survival of the fittest. Monopoly hinders fair competition, distorts resource allocation, harms the interests of market entities and consumers, and stifles technological progress. Regulators have been highly vigilant. Development and safety hazards.
Since the birth of the online economy, my country has always supported and encouraged Internet platform enterprises to innovate and develop and enhance their international competitiveness.
In August 2019, the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Standardized and Healthy Development of the Platform Economy" was issued and proposed measures to increase policy guidance, support and guarantees.
It should be said that my country's platform economy and online economy are in the forefront of the world and cannot be separated from the great era of reform and opening up. They benefited from China, the world's largest market, and benefited from the government's policy measures to encourage development and innovation.
However, encouragement and regulation should be given equal attention. The online economy must be innovative and developed in accordance with laws and regulations. If the restrictions of laws and regulations are exceeded, market monopoly, disorderly expansion, and barbaric growth will eventually make the entire industry unable to achieve healthy and sustainable development.
This time, the regulatory authorities initiated investigations into Internet companies suspected of monopolistic behavior in accordance with the law, precisely to better regulate and develop the online economy, and to enable the Internet industry to move better on the track of the rule of law.
Looking at the world, anti-monopoly is an international practice, which is conducive to protecting fair market competition and innovation, and safeguarding consumer rights.
Faced with the "super platform" of the Internet, anti-monopoly law enforcement agencies around the world have adopted strict regulatory attitudes and restrictive measures.
Strengthening anti-monopoly supervision, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, maintaining fair competition in the market order, and stimulating market vitality have become the general trend and popular desire.
The United States is the first country in the world to promulgate antitrust laws. In recent years, the United States has continuously increased its antitrust investigations against Internet technology giants, focusing on the abuse of market dominance, suppressing competitors, obstructing innovation, and harming consumers. Interest etc.
On December 15, the European Union promulgated the "Digital Services Law" and the "Digital Market Law", aimed at curbing unfair competition on large-scale online platforms.
In the past four years, Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and other technology giants have been subject to antitrust investigations around the world. Among them, the EU has imposed antitrust penalties on Google for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019, with a cumulative amount of more than 9 billion US dollars.
Strengthening anti-monopoly supervision will also effectively promote innovation and promote co-governance.
my country is recognized as one of the leading countries in the development of the global digital economy. It is more necessary to promote the healthy development of the industry through anti-monopoly, improve digital rules, and lay a solid foundation for building a new development pattern.
In recent years, my country’s anti-monopoly rule of law in the Internet field has made great progress. The "Guidelines for Anti-monopoly in the Platform Economy Field" have been publicly solicited for comments, which will effectively enhance the operability and predictability of the anti-monopoly legal system; announced at the beginning of this year The "Anti-Monopoly Law" Amendment Draft (Draft for Public Comment) for the first time added provisions on the basis for determining the basis for Internet operators' market dominance.
It must be noted that the "Anti-Monopoly Law" applies to all entities and treats domestic and foreign capital, state-owned and private enterprises, large and medium-sized enterprises, Internet enterprises and traditional enterprises equally and equally. The purpose is to ensure the equal participation of various market entities. market competition.
Only by continuously improving the legal norms of platform enterprise monopoly identification, data collection and use management, consumer rights protection, etc., and maintaining fair market competition, can the entire industry maintain its innovative vitality and achieve healthy development.
If you don't follow the rules, you can't make a circle.
This investigation does not mean that the country’s attitude towards the encouragement and support of the platform economy has changed. It is precisely for the purpose of better regulating and developing the platform economy, guiding and promoting its healthy development, with a view to making improvements for the high-quality development of the Chinese economy. Great contribution.
I believe that by strengthening anti-monopoly supervision, obstacles that affect the healthy development of the platform economy can be eliminated, and the platform economy will also usher in a better development environment.