China proposed amendments on Saturday to its e-commerce law that would, for the first time, build a solid legal basis for taking reciprocal countermeasures against foreign entities that impose discriminatory restrictions on Chinese e-commerce companies.
中国于上周六提出电子商务法修正草案，首次为针对对中国电商企业实施歧视性限制措施的境外主体采取对等反制措施筑牢坚实法律依据。

The draft amendments, which were jointly released by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Commerce, represent the first major revision to China's e-commerce law since it took effect in 2019.
此次修正草案由国家市场监督管理总局、商务部联合发布，是我国《电子商务法》自 2019 年施行以来首次大规模修订。

One of the biggest changes is the new countermeasure provision, which lays the legal groundwork for China to take reciprocal actions against countries, regions or entities that adopt discriminatory measures targeting Chinese e-commerce businesses.
本次修订最核心的新增内容为反制条款，为我国针对出台歧视性举措针对中国电商经营主体的国家、地区或相关主体采取对等措施奠定法律基础。

The proposal would empower Chinese authorities with legal justifications, under China's unreliable entity list, to investigate foreign entities that harm the legitimate interests of Chinese companies, and would impose corresponding restrictions when deemed appropriate.
该草案将为监管部门依据不可靠实体清单制度调查损害中国企业合法权益的境外主体提供法律支撑，并可在符合法定情形时对其施加相应限制措施。

Hong Yanqing, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology's School of Law, said, "The significance of the new provision lies not only in creating stronger countermeasures than those already available under existing laws, but also in establishing a clear legal entry point for addressing discriminatory practices in the e-commerce sector."
北京理工大学法学院教授洪延青表示：“新增反制条款的意义在于，不仅构建了较现行法律力度更强的反制工具，也为处置电商领域各类歧视性行为划定清晰法律适用路径。”

"When foreign measures discriminate against Chinese e-commerce businesses through platforms, payment, logistics, data, cloud services, advertising, app distribution and supply chain compliance mechanisms, the legal framework will be able to identify and respond to such practices in accordance with the law," he said.
他表示：“若境外通过平台运营、支付结算、物流、数据、云服务、广告、应用分发、供应链合规机制等渠道出台针对中国电商主体的歧视性规定，这套法律体系可依法识别并作出对应处置。”

Hong said that introducing countermeasure provisions reflects a broader trend among major economies. The European Union, for example, has adopted a wide range of response measures, including restrictions on trade in services as well as limits on the protection or commercial use of intellectual property.
洪延青称，增设反制条款契合全球主要经济体的立法趋势。例如欧盟已出台多项应对工具，涵盖服务贸易限制、知识产权保护与商用限制等多类举措。

The EU measures "extend across services trade, investment, financial services, government procurement, intellectual property and supply chain-related activities. E-commerce and digital trade sit at the intersection of all these areas, making them particularly vulnerable to such restrictions," he said.
他表示，欧盟相关规制覆盖服务贸易、投资、金融服务、政府采购、知识产权、供应链相关活动，而电子商务与数字贸易横跨上述全部领域，极易遭受各类限制性措施冲击。

Regarding China's draft amendments, Hong said that "rather than relying on catch-all legal provisions or ad hoc policy responses in individual cases, the amendments clarify the triggering conditions, regulatory responsibilities and procedural principles in advance. This makes it easier to distinguish between legitimate commercial activities and politically motivated exclusion, enabling foreign-invested companies, platform operators and cross-border e-commerce businesses to make informed compliance decisions".
谈及本次修正草案，洪延青表示：“以往处置多依赖兜底法条或个案临时政策，而本次修订提前明确反制启动条件、监管权责与程序准则，便于区分正常商业行为与带有政治目的的排他性举措，方便外资企业、平台经营者、跨境电商主体作出合规经营判断。”

Beyond overseas protection, the revisions also strengthen enforcement power against platform operators in the e-commerce sector.
除完善境外权益保护机制外，本次修订同时强化针对国内电商平台经营者的监管执法力度。

Maximum fixed fines for certain violations would increase from 2 million yuan ($295,000) to 5 million yuan. For particularly serious offenses that result in severe social consequences, regulators would be allowed to impose fines of up to 5 percent of a company's previous year's revenue, replacing the current fixed penalty.
部分违法行为定额罚款上限由 200 万元提升至 500 万元；针对情节特别恶劣、造成重大社会影响的违规行为，监管机构可按企业上一年度营业收入最高 5% 处以罚款，替代原有固定罚金模式。

Xue Jun, director of Peking University's e-commerce law research center, said that the draft amendments do not simply increase penalties for e-commerce operators but also introduce more flexible enforcement mechanisms.
北京大学电子商务法研究中心主任薛军表示，本次修正草案并非单纯提高电商经营者处罚标准，还增设多元化柔性执法手段。

"For example, ordering a business to suspend operations can have a significant impact on its continued operation. The amendments therefore introduce additional enforcement options, including suspending new user registrations or halting specific business activities," he said.
他说：“责令停业会对企业经营造成较大冲击，草案因此新增差异化执法方式，例如暂停新用户注册、停止特定经营业务等。”

"This allows enforcement measures to be better aligned with the severity of the violation, ensuring that the punishment is proportionate to the misconduct," he added.
他补充道：“此举能够实现执法力度与违规情节相匹配，做到过罚相当。”

Chinese policymakers have in recent years shifted their focus from regulating internet platforms to promoting the sector's high-quality development, encouraging companies to compete through innovation and service quality rather than price wars.
近年来我国监管思路从规范互联网平台经营，转向推动行业高质量发展，鼓励企业依靠创新、服务品质开展良性竞争，摒弃低价内卷。

The current e-commerce law was drafted largely around conventional online retail platforms before the rise of new e-commerce forms.
现行《电子商务法》立法时，直播电商、社交电商等新业态尚未普及，法条框架主要围绕传统线上零售平台搭建。

Therefore, the latest draft amendments cover operators of newer business models, including livestreaming platforms, social commerce and artificial intelligence-enabled e-commerce services.
本次修正草案将直播平台、社交电商、人工智能赋能电商等新业态经营者纳入规制范围。

It also expands legal protections to groups that have become increasingly pivotal to the platform economy, including gig workers such as food delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers.
草案同时扩大平台经济核心从业者的法律保障覆盖范围，包含外卖骑手、网约车司机等新就业形态劳动者。

amendment /əˈmendmənt/n. 修正案，修订
discriminatory /dɪˈskrɪmɪnətəri/adj. 歧视性的
legitimate /lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət/adj. 合法的，正当的
compliance /kəmˈplaɪəns/n. 合规，遵守

对等反制措施具体包括哪些？
中国电子商务法的首次修订是在什么时候？
中国电子商务法的修正草案对跨境电商有哪些影响？