China has appointed Liu Guiping as head of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), placing him at the helm of the country’s key market regulator as Beijing continues efforts to strengthen market supervision and improve the business environment.
The State Council announced the appointment on Wednesday, according to Chinese state media.
In a separate senior personnel change at the regulator, Pan Xiaodong was appointed deputy head of SAMR, replacing Meng Yang.
SAMR plays a central role in China’s regulatory framework, with responsibilities spanning market competition, business registration, product quality and safety, food safety, standards and anti-monopoly enforcement, making its leadership closely watched by domestic and international businesses operating in the world’s second-largest economy.
The regulator is also involved in China’s efforts to curb unfair market practices and strengthen enforcement of competition rules as Beijing seeks to create a more unified domestic market.
Liu’s appointment comes as China continues to emphasise improvements to its business environment and stronger regulation of market activity alongside policies aimed at supporting consumption, private-sector development and economic growth.
