China Wages War on Price Fraud

Home>>Business

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 28, 2001

China Wages War on Price Fraud

To show its determination to rid the fledgling market economy of bad practices, the Chinese government has launched fresh strikes against price fraud during the holiday season which extends from the New Year to the Chinese Lunar New Year in next February.

In a recent notice, the State Development Planning Commission (SDPC) requires all price supervision departments to punish whoever lures customers with false discounts or false gifts. The government will also punish those who offer inferior goods or services.

Retailers, telecommunication operators, medical services, transport companies, restaurants, entertainment enterprises, repair factories, tourism agencies and parks will be the focal points of governmental scrutiny during the period.

The SDPC said it will publicize the punishments given to repeated offenders to deter possible violators.

The Chinese government has been rigorously combating any violation of laws and regulations in the economic field over the past year. The national campaign is aimed to rectify the order of the market and encourage obedience of the law and honest practice.

The SDPC has released a number of regulations to prohibit price cheating. It has also opened a hotline telephone for people from all over the country to report violations.

China Further Liberalizes Pricing Rights