Tim Culpan, Columnist

Beijing Just Tore Up China's Giant Internet Playbook

Alibaba, Tencent and their peers have reason to fear anti-monopoly regulation.

China has decided it's time to tackle the big guys.

Photographer: STR/AFP/Getty Images

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All the things that allowed China’s internet innovators to become big, powerful and hugely profitable are under threat. The implications are chilling for established players.

Draft rules detailed by China’s antitrust watchdog Tuesday are aimed at rooting out monopolistic practices among internet companies, Bloomberg News reported. That could be invigorating for potential challengers to industry leaders such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Tencent Holdings Ltd., Meituan and Baidu Inc.