China Issues E-commerce Guidance

China has issued new guidance for its e-commerce sector, aiming to coordinate domestic development with international markets. This move follows a visit by a European Union delegation that pressed China on issues like a surge of products entering the bloc and limited access to the Chinese market. The European Union recently agreed to overhaul its customs system to crack down on illegal or unsafe products from e-commerce platforms, primarily Chinese. China's guidance emphasizes balancing promotion and regulation, integrating digital and real economies, and establishing pilot zones for cross-border e-commerce. It also encourages Chinese e-commerce enterprises to establish overseas procurement bases and expand imports of high-quality products, creating an 'express lane' for global goods into the Chinese market. Expert Chen Bo views this as a constructive step but notes it's unlikely to fully resolve the disputes.