China Plans First Revision of E-commerce Law to Address Gaps in Live Streaming and Cross-border Regulations
China plans to revise the E-commerce Law for the first time, aiming to strengthen regulation on live streaming e-commerce, social e-commerce, and cross-border e-commerce. The draft clarifies platform responsibilities in organizing transactions and includes live streamers in a collaborative governance framework while formulating countermeasures for actions that disrupt domestic market order during cross-border e-commerce activities.
What are the key facts?
- 1Revision background: first revision since 2019
- 2Feedback deadline: August 4, 2026
- 3Regulatory focus: live streaming e-commerce, social e-commerce, cross-border shopping
What happened?
On July 4, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and Ministry of Commerce released the draft amendment of the E-commerce Law designed to fill regulatory gaps in live streaming, social e-commerce, and cross-border shopping. The draft requires platforms to assume obligations commensurate with the type of services provided, clarifying implications for disruptive behaviors in cross-border e-commerce activities while authorizing proportional countermeasures.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Cross-border sellers should pay attention to domestic compliance policy changes, especially regarding legal responsibilities for live streaming sales and cross-border transactions, and are advised to conduct preemptive checks of their business processes to comply with the latest regulatory requirements.