On 27 June 2025, the 16th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress passed the revised Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People’s Republic of China (“AUCL”). It will come into effect on 15 October 2025.
The AUCL has been in effect since 1993 with two revisions in 2017 and 2019 respectively. One of the primary motivations behind this third revision is the rapid development of China’s economy, which has created an urgent need to address new forms of unfair competition acts. For instance, certain platform operators have exploited algorithms and platform rules to engage in online unfair competition.
Notably, the revision places emphasis on the legislative objective of preventing unfair competition, rather than merely punishing it after it has occurred. This shift indicates that future legal practice will not only focus on combating unfair competition acts but also prioritise preventive measures to safeguard a fair and equitable market environment. In this paper CMS summarise the key revisions.
