Chinese authorities have asked leading Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Ltd. (BABA) and giant technology and entertainment company Tencent Holding Ltd. (HK: 0700) to stop blocking other’s website links from their platforms.
The China’s Ministry of Industry and Information made the announcement through published media, a source from the ministry has already proposed standards to companies for instant messaging services directing them to unblock all platforms by a certain time.
In a scenario which the companies fail to comply with the order to unblock each other, the ministry says it will have no other option but to seek other measures.
In China, leading Chinese technology companies which control the industry have always blocked links and services from their rivals from their platforms a worrying situation which experts describes as ‘walled gardens’.
In recent times, China’s regulators have been cracking the whip on tech companies accusing them of creating monopolies and unfair competition.
