China Opposes EU Fine on AliExpress, Citing Digital Trade Barriers

China's Ministry of Commerce expressed strong dissatisfaction and serious concern after the European Commission fined Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress €550 million under the EU Digital Services Act. A ministry spokesperson urged Brussels to refrain from using vague legal provisions to exercise discretionary power and warned against creating discriminatory digital barriers against Chinese enterprises. Beijing emphasized its commitment to supporting domestic companies in using legal mechanisms to defend their rights while taking firm measures to safeguard Chinese business interests in overseas markets.

The European Commission's €550 million penalty against AliExpress under the Digital Services Act marks a significant escalation in regulatory scrutiny facing Chinese e-commerce platforms operating within the European Union. This enforcement action directly raises compliance costs and operational uncertainty for Chinese cross-border digital economy platforms expanding globally.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has voiced strong dissatisfaction and serious concern after the European Commission imposed a €550 million fine on Chinese cross-border e-commerce platform AliExpress under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). According to an official response released on July 22, a MOFCOM spokesperson addressed the July 20 decision by the European regulator, stating that Beijing firmly opposes European authorities setting up digital barriers and applying discriminatory measures under the guise of platform regulation. The spokesperson stated that these actions unfairly restrict and suppress the normal business operations of Chinese e-commerce firms in the European market. MOFCOM urged the European Union to refrain from exploiting ambiguous legal terms to exercise excessive administrative discretion, calling for fair and impartial treatment of Chinese companies. The spokesperson highlighted that the Chinese government will resolutely back domestic enterprises in utilizing legal tools to safeguard their rights and will take strong measures to defend the legitimate interests of Chinese businesses overseas. The decision by the European Commission marks a major enforcement milestone under the Digital Services Act, a regulatory framework designed to oversee systemic online risks, platform transparency, and consumer protection across EU member states. By levying a penalty of €550 million, European regulators have signaled heightened oversight over major non-EU digital commerce channels serving European consumers. In response, Chinese officials have framed the penalty as part of a broader trend of regulatory overreach targeting Chinese technology and cross-border commercial entities. MOFCOM's declaration of support for legal defense suggests that affected firms may be encouraged to seek judicial review or administrative appeals through European court systems. As regulatory boundaries solidify around global e-commerce platforms, the incident underlines growing tension between international digital compliance standards and cross-border commercial operations.