consumption Photo:Xinhua

A total of 17,600 administrative measures that were found to impede the building of a unified national market and fair market competition were revised or abolished in 2023, said China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on Tuesday. 

Zhao Chunlei, a senior official from the SAMR, said during a press conference in Beijing that elimination of local protective and monopolistic measures is of critical importance for building a unified national market in China, and the SAMR has achieved positive results in recent years. 

"Since the beginning of 2023, market regulators across the county have confirmed 616,000 administrative measures need to be reviewed. Following the review, 17,600 were revised or removed for their negative impact on building a unified national market and fair market competition," said Zhao. 

The SAMR also led the efforts in cracking down on illicit activities abusing administrative power, restricting market competition in a wide range of sectors, such as tendering and bidding and projects construction. A total of 39 cases were investigated by the SAMR, said Zhao. 

A State Council executive meeting held on December 18 this year stressed the importance of establishing rules that are conducive to building a national unified market, noting that barriers and obstacles detrimental to building the unified market should be demolished. 

Li Chunlin, vice minister of China's National Development and Reform Commission, said during the press conference that building a unified national market will facilitate flow of commodity elements in the country, and help promote the connectivity of domestic and international market, which is also a major driving force to unleash the potential of domestic demand and rev up economy recovery.

Global Times