‘Not a crackdown’: China regulators eye neutral enforcement in shift from 2021

Chinese regulators are stepping up public enforcement against the nation’s corporate giants, marking a departure from the low-key approach adopted after a bruising 2021 tech crackdown.

In recent months, agencies have summoned company representatives, launched high-profile investigations, and named and shamed offenders.

However, while the uptick in activity has rattled investors, some analysts and observers contend that this does not herald a return to China’s heavy-handed campaign that previously savaged stocks and investor sentiment.

Rather, the moves are seen to be signalling a shift in policy priorities towards defending market order. Experts suggest that the regulatory environment remains tight, with both private and state firms facing the full force of the law.

Thursday alone saw a flurry of activity, with at least four regulatory announcements.

“It’s not a crackdown,” said Zhu Tian, an economist and vice-president of the China Europe International Business School. “But, understandably, there are fresh worries when memories of 2021 have never faded.