By JD.com emerges victorious in an antitrust lawsuit against Alibaba, marking a pivotal moment in the battle for market fairness and competition in China. The High People’s Court of Beijing ruled in favor of JD.com, stating that Alibaba, alongside Zhejiang Tmall Network Co and Zhejiang Tmall Technology Co, had engaged in monopolistic practices that inflicted significant harm on JD.com. The lawsuit centered on the “choosing one from two” strategy, resulting in a fine of 1 billion yuan ($140.68 million) for Alibaba.
In response to the ruling, JD.com released a statement expressing satisfaction with the court’s decision, emphasizing its significance in preserving market integrity. They reiterated the importance of upholding fairness through legal means in China’s fight against monopolistic behavior.
Alibaba acknowledged the court’s decision, stating their respect for the ruling. This legal battle follows a previous record-breaking fine of $2.75 billion imposed on Alibaba in 2021 by Chinese regulators for similar market dominance abuses.
The contention between these e-commerce giants stemmed from allegations of “choosing one out of two” practices, wherein brands and merchants were reportedly pressured to operate exclusively on one platform or face restrictions on the other.
