Tencent File photo: Xinhua

In a regular briefing on Monday, Zhao Zhiguo, spokesperson from Chinese tech regulator China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said that facilitating connectivity in the internet industry is a necessary setting to promote the high-quality development of the internet industry and major companies should proactively take action to promote instant messaging services and stop blocking links.

MIIT has asked major internet firms including Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings and ByteDance to stop blocking normal access to one another's website links, in the latest move to protect users' experience and promote a more open market, according to domestic news portal Xinhua Finance.

The blocking of links has been a key target in a special reform campaign launched by MIIT since July, Zhao said. The inspection also focused on violation of market order disruption, users' rights and interests, data security, and qualification management.

"The blocking of visits to other website links without justification has seriously affected the user experience and rights and also disturbed the market order," Zhao said.

Tencent said it supports the removal of link-blocking activities at the request of MIIT in a statement sent to the Global Times on Monday.

"We will adhere to policies set by MIIT and facilitate safe connectivity to other websites in stages and steps," the company said.

The ministry will also aim to strengthen administrative guidance, supervision and inspection, and  impose penalties on those fail to meet requirements set by regulators, Zhao said.

Global Times