CHINA FINES ALIBABA, PDD $528M FOR FOOD SAFETY LAPSES

The platforms were cited for inadequate merchant screening processes that allowed unqualified vendors to operate on their services. Regulators determined the companies did not implement sufficient safeguards to filter out restaurants and sellers without proper licensing or food safety certifications. The fines underscore China's intensifying regulatory scrutiny of major tech platforms. Food delivery services have become critical infrastructure in China's urban centers, serving millions of daily transactions. The oversight failures represent a systemic gap in food safety oversight that regulators determined posed risks to consumers. Alibaba operates Ele.me, one of China's largest food delivery platforms. PDD controls Hungry Now, while Meituan operates the dominant platform of the same name. The enforcement action signals regulators expect platforms to take greater responsibility for vetting third-party vendors rather than operating as neutral marketplaces. The penalties follow months of regulatory pressure on Chinese tech companies across multiple sectors, from e-commerce to finance.