China launches 3-month crackdown on online misconduct in auto industry

China will roll out a three-month nationwide campaign to curb online misconduct in the auto industry, aiming to foster fairer competition in the country’s rapidly growing new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, according to a notice released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

To strengthen coordination, the notice was jointly issued by six government bodies: the MIIT, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The campaign will target illegal profiteering, exaggerated or false advertising, and malicious defamation in the auto sector. It seeks to improve the handling of online violations, encourage responsible marketing practices, and create a healthier public opinion environment to support the industry’s high-quality development.

Concrete steps will include company self-inspections, smoother channels for public reporting, in-depth analysis of problem clues, and tougher action against online irregularities, the notice said.

It also called on local authorities in industry and information technology, social affairs, cyberspace, development and reform, public security, and market regulation to enhance coordination. Online platforms, industry associations, and automakers are urged to join forces to continuously improve the online environment surrounding the auto sector.