China's Ministry of Commerce has announced draft rules aiming to expand e-commerce businesses that trade across borders, including promoting the construction of overseas warehouses. E-commerce companies will be supported by national ministries and government departments, helping them 'go global', the ministry said. Beyond spreading its reach outwards, the draft rules aim to regulate inbound trade by improving data management and optimising export supervision as well.

Why is this important?

These draft rules come at a crucial point when local e-commerce has been facing a more general macroeconomic slow down, and when cross-border trade has been growing exponentially. That same growth has pushed regulators beyond China to consider stricter rules for large e-commerce firms. The EU has recently done so against online marketplace Temu.