Lawmakers call for more regulations on unfair online competition

Chinese lawmakers on Tuesday asked for more rules to control unfair online competition in a draft amendment to the Unfair Competition Law.

The suggestion was made by members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Tuesday's panel discussion.

The draft revision was given a second reading at the ongoing bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee.

The Unfair Competition Law took effect in 1993.

The draft said operators should not use technical means to influence Internet users' decisions or to disturb or sabotage products and services legally provided by other operators.

It is hard to list rules, as the internet changes every single day, and how to regulate monopolies was more crucial, said committee member Gu Shangzu.

Another committee member Zhang Ping said"paid listing" on search engines should be regulated.

Zhang noted several cases of search engines selling highlighted advertizing space to questionable entities.

Huang Xiaojing, also a committee member, suggested the draft amendment leave more space for the development of online businesses.