A roll-on/roll-off ship docks at a berth at Lianyungang Port in East China's Jiangsu Province on August 25, 2026, to load China-made vehicles for export. Photo: VCG

China released guidelines for fair overseas competition and compliance in the auto industry on Tuesday, offering practical references for overseas competitive practices and compliance requirements, including pricing, antitrust compliance and data processing, in order to promote the sound and orderly global expansion of the country's auto industry.

The guidelines, jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, come as China's auto industry — particularly its new-energy vehicles — continues to gain global momentum amid a more complex and competitive international environment. The proactive move aims to help companies identify risks in advance, strengthen compliance systems, and navigate the international market with greater resilience, industry experts said.

According to the guidelines, companies must ensure price compliance for parts and complete vehicles in accordance with laws and regulations, and must not disrupt competition to gain unfair advantages.

When setting recommended retail prices for vehicles abroad, companies should establish clear price tiers for different configurations based on local laws, market principles and commercial practices, and avoid frequent or sharp price fluctuations that could harm consumers' interests or brands' images, the guidelines noted.

"By proactively regulating overseas pricing and competitive practices, the guidelines aim to encourage companies to place greater emphasis on compliant operations, brand-building and long-term value with stable prices, thus enhancing their international image," Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

While adapting production and operations to local conditions and improving overseas workplace safety management, companies are required to take necessary measures to ensure that all data-processing activities related to connected vehicles and autonomous driving — including collection, use, protection, and cross-border transfers — comply with applicable laws. They must also adhere to personal information protection regulations and safeguard consumer privacy.

The inclusion of data compliance requirements is particularly noteworthy, as connected vehicles and autonomous-driving technologies generate vast amounts of data that often crosses borders. "The clear provisions on data collection, use, and cross-border transfers not only help protect consumer privacy but also provide Chinese automakers with explicit compliance benchmarks, reducing legal uncertainties in overseas operations and earning consumer trust," Cui said.

In addition, enterprises should strengthen overseas antitrust compliance by effectively identifying, assessing, and managing various antitrust legal risks, along with strengthening the overseas layout and protection of proprietary intellectual property (IP) to prevent infringement risks, said the guidelines.

"The antitrust and IP compliance requirements help address two tangible risks that have increasingly affected Chinese companies' overseas operations. The guidelines will enable automakers to have the foresight to identify risks while abiding by international rules, enhancing their capacity to respond," said Cui.

The guidelines are aimed at promoting the long-term, healthy international development of the automotive industry, enhancing companies' compliance capabilities and global influence, and fostering international cooperation across global vehicle industrial and supply chains, an official with the MOFCOM said.

In recent years, China's automotive industry has achieved tangible results in its global expansion. According to customs statistics, China exported 8.32 million vehicles in 2025, which were sold to more than 200 countries and regions, the MOFCOM official said.

Chinese companies have invested in vehicle manufacturing in more than 80 countries and regions, providing global consumers with high-quality, affordable, safe, reliable, and green low-carbon mobility solutions, and thereby making positive contributions to the development of the global automotive industry, according to the official.

Cui noted that at a time when China's automobile industry, especially new-energy vehicles, has achieved remarkable success in expanding overseas, it is facing growing scrutiny and competitive pressure from abroad. 

"Against this backdrop, the guidelines represent a proactive response. On the one hand, they require automakers to regulate pricing practices and data compliance to avoid disrupting competition. On the other hand, they help companies identify risks in advance, enhance IP protection, and build stronger compliance systems, thereby enabling steadier and more sustainable expansion into international markets," Cui noted.

The guidelines emphasize the basic principles of law-based compliance, fair competition, and mutual benefit. They help guide automotive enterprises to actively fulfill their social responsibilities overseas and better integrate into the economic and social development of host countries, the MOFCOM official said.

They also contribute to expanding high-level opening-up and cooperation in the vehicle sector, and promote the deep integration and common development of global automotive industrial and supply chains, the official noted.