The New Era of Compliance in China’s Digital Market
In the high-stakes world of Chinese marketing, the only constant is change. However, the regulatory "gale" blowing through early 2026 feels different. Within a single month, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) launched two major regulatory frameworks. For international brands looking to scale, these are not just bureaucratic documents; they represent a fundamental reset of the relationship between global brands and Chinese digital giants.
For years, the "Big Platforms" in China held absolute power, often altering algorithms or fee structures overnight without warning. The new Administrative Measures on Network Trading Platform Rules (effective February 1st) directly addresses this imbalance. Platforms are now prohibited from "acting on a whim." Any modification to platform rules that significantly impacts merchant rights must be preceded by a public notice period of at least 7 to 15 days. More importantly, platforms can no longer hold a brand’s security deposit or restrict withdrawals as a deterrent to those wishing to exit the platform due to unfavorable rule changes.
Furthermore, the "forced participation" culture—where platforms pressured brands into predatory "refund without return" policies or non-essential value-added services—is now explicitly banned. For a high-end beauty or IT brand, this means you can finally reallocate resources from "platform survival" to core R&D and team building, knowing your operational autonomy is legally protected on Chinese social media.
The second pillar of this regulatory wave targets the vibrant yet chaotic world of livestreaming. The Administrative Measures on Live Streaming E-commerce has drawn clear red lines for the four key stakeholders: platforms, room operators, influencers, and agencies. In the past, the "wild west" nature of livestreaming led to issues like fake sales data, "lowest price" claims that were unverifiable, and bait-and-switch pricing at checkout.
Under the new 2026 rules, transparency is the mandate. Livestream videos must be archived for at least three years, ensuring a traceable evidentiary chain for any consumer dispute or regulatory audit. Influencers can no longer use superlatives like "Lowest Price on the Web" unless they can provide immediate, verifiable proof. Marketing agencies that facilitate "click farming" (fake likes and sales) will now share legal liability with the influencers they represent. This is a massive shift toward quality over quantity in Chinese marketing strategies.
The underlying message for overseas enterprises is clear: the logic of competition in China has pivoted from exploiting loopholes for quick profits to sustainable growth driven by "hard power." As established brands like Linqingxuan and Guyu continue to see GMV growth in 2025 despite economic headwinds, their success is increasingly tied to precision and compliance.
In conclusion, while these new rules may seem daunting at first glance, they provide a much-needed safety net for international players. By curbing the arbitrary power of platforms and cleaning up the livestreaming ecosystem, the Chinese social media landscape is becoming more predictable. In the journey of entering the East, navigating the waters of Chinese marketing now requires a compass built on compliance and a long-term vision.
