China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

China Passes First Local E-commerce Legislation

Thu, 04 Nov 2021
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 29 Sept. 2021, the Standing Committee of the 13th Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress passed the “Regulation of Zhejiang Province on E-commerce” (referred to as the “Regulation”, 浙江省电子商务条例), which will take effect on 1 Mar. 2022.

“E-commerce”, as mentioned in the Regulation, refers to the business activities of selling goods or providing services through the Internet and other information networks.

Based on the e-commerce practices, the Regulation regulates the operation of e-commerce activities under different circumstances, and sets out the relevant requirements in accordance with the E-commerce Law, the Personal Information Protection Law, and other laws and regulations at a higher level.

Pursuant to the Regulation, where an e-commerce operator presents web pages or provides search results for goods and services to consumers according to their hobbies and consumption habits, it shall also provide consumers with options which are not tailored to their personal characteristics or convenient ways of refusal.

E-commerce business operators shall not make use of technical means such as big data analysis or algorithms to implement unreasonable differential treatment for consumers with the same transaction conditions in terms of transaction price etc.

In addition, business operators shall not engage in unfair competition solely or jointly with others in e-commerce related business activities.

 

 

Cover Photo by Guo ziyu  on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

Related laws on China Laws Portal

You might also like

SPP Releases Guiding Cases on Civil Adjudication Supervision

In March 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) released new guiding cases to strengthen supervision over civil judgments, ensuring fairness and correcting errors in court rulings, covering disputes like private loans and traffic accidents.

First Tort Suit Under China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law

In March 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) reported the first-ever tort suit under the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, enabling a Chinese firm to recover over CNY 84 million after a European partner withheld payment invoking a third country’s sanctions.

ABLI-HCCH webinar: Cross-Border Commercial Dispute Resolution – Electronic Service of Documents and Remote Taking of Evidence (July 10, 2025)

The Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) and the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) will host their fourth joint webinar on July 10, 2024 (5:00–6:10 PM SGT), focusing on electronic service of documents and remote taking of evidence under the Service and Evidence Conventions, featuring expert speakers, with an early bird discount available until June 10.

China Tightens Corporate Personal Data Audit Rules

In February 2025, China's Cyberspace Administration issued the "Measures for the Administration of Personal Information Protection Compliance Audits", effective May 1, 2025, mandating regular audits for companies, especially those processing data of over 10 million individuals, to ensure transparency and legality in personal data handling.

SPC Releases Typical Cases on Telecom Fraud Crimes

In February 2025, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) released eight typical telecom fraud cases, exposing new criminal methods and highlighting intensified judicial efforts after handling 31,000 such cases in 2023.

SPC Targets Cyber Extortion with Typical Cases

In February 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released six typical cases showcasing its crackdown on emerging cyber extortion crimes, including spreading rumors and sextortion, to encourage victims to seek legal protection.

China Issues New Rules on Foreign-Related IP Disputes

In March 2025, China issued regulations effective May 1, 2025, to enhance dispute resolution, evidence collection, and countermeasures for foreign-related intellectual property disputes, strengthening services and enterprise capabilities.

SPC Issues China’s First Anti-Anti-Suit Injunction (AASI) in IP Case

In December 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) issued its first anti-anti-suit injunction in a patent dispute, Huawei v. Netgear, prohibiting Netgear from obstructing Huawei’s Chinese litigation, marking a significant step in global standard-essential patent governance.