Making sense of the moves against monopoly

If you want to understand the motive behind China's recent high-profile crackdown on monopolistic practices and commercial corruption, look no further than Premier Li Keqiang's article in the Financial Times.

"Government will leave to the market and society what they can do well while concentrating on those matters within its purview," reads the article published on Sept 9 ahead of the Summer Davos Forum.

The comment is a clear indication that top Chinese policymakers are keen to change the government role from an all-round participant in economic activities to that of a regulator who ensures a level playing field for all sorts of business entities regardless of their ownership or size.