China defends tech crackdown in meeting with Wall Street chiefs

China Securities Regulatory Commission Vice Chairman Fang Xinghai said recent actions were to strengthen regulations for companies with consumer-facing platforms, and improve data privacy and national security,

BEIJING: China’s top regulators defended their market-roiling crackdown on various industries in a meeting with Wall Street executives, while reassuring them the stricter rules aren’t aimed at stifling technology companies or the private sector.

China Securities Regulatory Commission Vice Chairman Fang Xinghai said recent actions were to strengthen regulations for companies with consumer-facing platforms, and improve data privacy and national security, according to a person familiar with the talks, who asked to not be identified because the meeting was private. Fang defended the moves such as those aimed at the education and gaming industries as meant to reduce social anxiety.