State Administration for Market Regulation: cracking down on monopoly practices in the pharmaceutical industry will always be a top priority to maintain a high pressure situation.

Yao Lei, director of the Price Supervision, Inspection and Anti-Unfair Competition Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation, stated at a regular policy briefing of the State Council on the 15th that in strengthening antitrust enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector, cracking down on monopoly behavior in the pharmaceutical field is always a top priority, maintaining high pressure. We will adhere to three principles: Strike whenever there is a chance, closely monitor key drugs related to people's medication rights such as scarce drugs, emergency drugs, and commonly used drugs, promptly investigate clues, swiftly file cases, and quickly handle them. We will also strictly enforce heavy penalties, decisively investigate monopoly cases in the pharmaceutical field with strict and severe measures, and impose triple penalties on the "enterprise + organizer + responsible party" involved in monopoly behavior. Furthermore, we will adhere to institutional constraints, issue and enforce the "Antitrust Guidelines for the Pharmaceutical Industry" of the State Council Antitrust and Anti-Unfair Competition Committee, clarify the rules for determining monopoly behavior, and strengthen antitrust compliance guidance in the pharmaceutical industry.