China: State Administration for Market Regulation opened consultation on draft implementation measures for fair competition review regulations including revisions to competition review standards

On 24 March 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation opened a consultation on draft implementation measures for the fair competition review regulations until 24 April 2026. The draft introduces a number of proposed amendments to the existing framework. Article 15 would be revised to prohibit the use of criteria such as “local branch offices” and “service convenience” as bonus items in credit evaluations. Article 18 would be amended to prohibit the granting of tax exemptions to specific operators without a basis in administrative regulations or provisions of the State Council. A new Article 26 would establish procedures for applying exception provisions, including requirements for third-party assessments and filing with higher-level market supervision authorities. Article 34 would require government policy-drafting bodies to submit formal review conclusions confirming that proposed measures comply with fair competition review standards when seeking approval. Articles 41 and 46 would introduce additional accountability arrangements for fair competition oversight, including the use of formal interviews with responsible officials in regions where spot checks identify repeated non-compliance.