Standards for improving business environment

The State Administration for Market Regulation issued a document for enforcing market regulation laws on Oct 8, which sets clear, detailed standards for various levels of market regulation bureaus in their law enforcement activities.

For businesses, the market regulation bureau is perhaps one of the most frequent go-to departments.

A good example is the case in Yulin city, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, where a trader was fined 66,000 yuan ($9,167) after 2.5 kilograms of vegetables he was selling failed to meet relevant standards. The fine was legal, yet it triggered fierce discussions in society, with some feeling the fine was "too heavy" for a "minor wrong".

A nice way to solve the problem and avoid such controversies in the future is to draft detailed standards for law enforcement agencies, so that the law enforcement can withstand tests of public opinion.

Once standards are set, it will ensure that the penalties are commensurate with the wrongs committed by law-breakers, neither too light nor too heavy.

For example, the Administrative Law, newly amended in 2021, makes it a point that those who lightly break the law and make amends in time without grave results can be exempted from penalties.

There are many illegal activities that fall in this category, such as eateries claiming that their food tastes the best; this is an illegal act, but not really harmful.

However, market regulatory departments often desist from taking action, fearing they will be accused of failing in their duty of correcting illegal deeds.

The State Administration for Market Regulation makes it clear that such situations can be exempted from penalty. The regulatory departments can thus function without fear and this will help improve the business environment.