China vows further curbs on ‘disorderly expansion’ by tech firms

A child trying on virtual reality (VR) glasses at the Light of Internet Expo, which is a part of the World Internet Conference, in Wuzhen, China. Since its first public use by the Politburo in December, the phrase “disorderly expansion of capital” has expanded from a criticism of platform companies to an explanation for actions against technology moguls, celebrities and private tutors. — AFP

China will take further steps to rein in Internet companies, a senior cyberspace official said, citing the shared economy, online health care and smart delivery as areas of concern.

Vice Minister Sheng Ronghua told the World Internet Conference on Monday that curbing monopolistic behavior and the “disorderly expansion of capital” were top priorities for the Cyberspace Administration of China. Sheng also listed self-driving vehicles and platform economies as areas that required stronger regulation.