STOCKS | China Regulators Summon Ctrip, Tongcheng, Meituan Over Train Ticket Practices

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, together with the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Railway Administration, summoned seven third-party platform companies including Ctrip (9961), Tongcheng (0780) and Meituan (3690) over alleged irregular train ticket sales practices. According to Ming Pao, the regulators cited issues including improper promotion of paid “waitlist ticket-grabbing” and seat-selection services, inducements for users to “buy long and ride short” or “buy short and ride long,” and improper collection and use of users’ personal data. The agencies要求 the companies to comply with laws including the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, Consumer Rights Protection Law, E-commerce Law and Personal Information Protection Law, to fulfill ticketing responsibilities, standardize train ticket sales operations, and help maintain order in the railway ticketing market while protecting consumers’ legal rights.