Time line

August 1, 2008

Anti-Monopoly Law comes into force.

March 18, 2009

Coca-Cola's bid to acquire juice and beverage-producer Huiyuan is rejected by the Ministry of Commerce.

May 6, 2011

Unilever fined 2 million yuan ($308,000) by NDRC for telling the media about its plans to raise prices that led to price rises and hoarding.

Jan 4, 2013

Six LCD panel manufacturers from South Korea and Taiwan (Samsung, LG, Chimei, AU Optronics, Chunghwa Picture Tubes and Hannstar) fined 353 million yuan ($56 million) by NDRC for price-fixing.

Feb 19, 2013

Domestic baijiu producers Kweichow Moutai and Wuliangye Yibin fined a total of 449 million yuan ($71.3 million) by NDRC for resale price violations.

June 17, 2013

A shipping alliance between A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Mediterranean Shipping Co SA and CMA CGM SA is rejected by the Ministry of Commerce.

July 2013

Tetra Pak Group investigated by SAIC for possible abuse of market dominance.

Foreign pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis AG, AstraZeneca Plc , Sanofi SA , Eli Lilly & Co and Bayer AG, investigated by SAIC after bribery allegations against GlaxoSmithKline.

NDRC announces plan to examine pricing policies of 60 pharmaceutical companies.

Aug 7, 2013

Six infant formula makers (Mead Johnson Nutrition, Danone, Fonterra, Abbott Laboratories, FrieslandCampina and Biostime) fined $110 million by NDRC for entering into contracts with distributors to ensure a minimum sales price.

Aug 12, 2013

Shanghai Gold and Jewellery Trade Association found to have facilitated the formation of a price-fixing agreement between five major gold retailers in Shanghai; NDRC imposes a fine of 500,000 yuan ($82,000) on the association and of 1 percent of annual turnover for the five retailers, totaling 10 million yuan ($1.65 million).

August 2013

39 retail and tourism companies in the resort areas of Yunnan and Hainan fined a total of 18 million yuan ($2.94 million) by the NDRC for price fixing.

May 21, 2014

Pharmaceutical company Roche's office in Hangzhou is investigated by SAIC.

May 29

Several eyeglass and contact lens makers, including Johnson & Johnson Inc and Bausch & Lomb Inc, fined a total of 19.6 million yuan ($3.1 million) by the NDRC for price fixing.

July 24

Qualcomm Inc confirmed a monopoly by NDRC.

July 29

Microsoft Corp investigated by SAIC for failing to fully disclose information on its Windows operating system and its Office software suite.

(China Daily 08/15/2014 page7)