The Gansu Provincial Administration for Market Regulation has released the Fair Competition Guidelines for the advertising industry, the province’s first official document in recent years focused on regulating fair play in the advertising sector.
The Guidelines outline rules for fair competition in ad management and spell out the legal consequences advertisers and agencies could face for engaging in unfair or monopolistic practices.
Structured around 20 articles, the document covers key principles all industry players must follow. It lists common violations such as false advertising, commercial bribery, infringement of trade secrets, and defamation. It also bans monopolistic behavior, including price-fixing agreements and abuse of market dominance, in line with China’s Anti-Monopoly Law.
The Guidelines aim to create a more open, competitive environment where businesses of all sizes can thrive. For global brands operating in China, this reflects growing scrutiny on advertising ethics, especially as the misuse of AI in ads continues to raise concerns. Staying compliant and transparent will be more important than ever.
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