From Economic Observer Online:
From August 1, profit-oriented, Beijing-based online communities hosted on Chinese e-commerce websites must be registered and obtained a business permit from the City’s industry watchdog.
In a circular issued by the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce (BAIC) earlier this month, the authorities termed the move as Guidelines to Strengthen E-commerce Supervision and Management.
The EO has learned that the Guidelines targeted online-store owners and sellers who conducted transactions over customer-to-customer (C2C) platforms, such as Taobao, Eachnet and Paipai – all popular e-commerce communities in China.