The Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation breaks new ground with book for antitrust guidelines

On 6 August 2020, the lid was lifted on one of China's biggest antitrust secrets. On that day, news broke out that a new book authored by the State Administration for Market Regulation ("SAMR") featuring a compilation of antitrust rules had been launched. The compilation contains four previously unpublished texts: four out of six long-awaited antitrust guidelines are included in the book; two focus on substantive law – on the automotive sector, and on intellectual property rights ("IPRs") – while the other two focus on procedural matters – on leniency, and on commitments (together, "Guidelines"). In addition to providing the full texts of the four Guidelines, the book also provides some guidance in the form of explanations by SAMR ("SAMR Explanations"). Background to the Guidelines A