China's antitrust probes not selective: NDRC

BEIJING - China's antitrust law enforcement is neither selective nor targeting any particular market entities or foreign firms, an official said on Thursday.

The official made the response to concerns over anti-monopoly probes into foreign firms, such as Microsoft, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz over the past two months.

The antitrust probes in China involve domestic and foreign firms, both private and state-owned enterprises, said Xu Kunlin, head of the anti-monopoly bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The NDRC has investigated 335 enterprises and industry associations over monopolies, 33 of which were foreign, Xu said.

The targets are fair market competition and better economic efficiency, not protecting domestic enterprises, Xu said.

Antitrust probes in China are triggered by consumers' reports and the probes will go wherever consumers complain. "There is no selective law enforcement," Xu said.

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