SAMR Issues Auto Industry Pricing Compliance Guidelines to Curb "Cutthroat" Competition

On February 12, China's State Administration for Market Regulation released the "Compliance Guidelines for Pricing Practices in the Automotive Industry," aiming to regulate pricing behaviors in the automotive market and address "cutthroat" competition. The Guidelines explicitly prohibit illegal practices such as failure to clearly display prices as required and price fraud, guiding enterprises to operate in compliance with laws and regulations and fostering a healthy market order characterized by quality-based pricing and fair competition. On the same day, the Ministry of Commerce responded to the European Union's adjustment of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, expressing support for companies to cooperate through mechanisms such as price undertakings within the consultation framework agreed upon between China and the EU. Additionally, Sichuan Province announced its 2026 vehicle trade-in subsidy policy, offering subsidies of up to RMB 15,000 for new energy vehicles and up to RMB 13,000 for fuel-powered vehicles.