Antitrust

After a seven month long investigation, China's anti-trust agency decided to fine CNKI 87.6 million yuan (approximately US$12.7 million) for violating the Anti-Monopoly Law and abusing market dominance.

In the government spending legislation recently enacted by Congress, there is a provision on the disclosure, in the context of merger notifications, of subsidies that have been provided by "foreign adversaries." This provision is part of an effort underway in both the EU and the U.S. to take action

China's market regulator, the State Administration for Market Regulation, recently released a draft to revise the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, adding new rules to rein in unfair competition in the digital economy and enhancing the level of penalties for violations.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed an antitrust bill that includes a provision requiring notification of foreign subsidies by companies who are merging.

In an opinion issued last week, a U.S. federal judge in Illinois found that most of the claims in Chinese radio company Hytera's antitrust lawsuit against rival Motorola can go forward.

China's new Anti-Monopoly Law is coming into force tomorrow. The new law adds some provisions on reining in internet giants and on business consolidations. It also imposes harsher punishment for any violations of the law.

The Chinese market regulator punished Softbank, Bombardier Transportation Sweden, Alibaba, Tencent and many other companies for violating the declaration requirement in antitrust laws.