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China: Government antitrust advisor sacked

By  |  August 12, 2014

Local outlets in China are reporting that an antitrust advisor to the State Council has been fired.

According to reports, China News Service said Zhang Xinzhu was dismissed as an antitrust consultant to China’s State Council. While reports did not cite sources of the news, Zhang told reporters he was fired for defending foreign companies.

In an interview, the antitrust advisor also said that antitrust regulation in the country has reached a dead end.

The State Council did not respond to requests for comment.

The reported firing follows emerging trends from China of increasing antitrust scrutiny of overseas companies. Most recently, the nation’s National Development and Reform Commission is in the midst of an in-depth investigation of foreign automakers and car parts manufacturers and chip makers and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce has been in news over its investigation of Microsoft.

Full content: Businessweek

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