Curbs on local govts' preferential policies

NDRC to enact steps to ensure level playing field for businesses, check favoritism

Local governments will no longer be allowed to take steps that favor preferred enterprises in their region, as China steps up its efforts to ensure fair market competition for businesses in the country, officials familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The nation's five major regulatory agencies, including the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top pricing regulator, will issue guidelines on Thursday that restrict local governments from taking monopolistic steps or other market intervention measures that benefit some industries or companies, they said.