China fines online academic database for monopolistic behavior

Domestic online academic database China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) has been fined for monopolistic behavior, the country's top market regulator said on Monday.

The State Administration for Market Regulation has imposed a fine of 87.6 million yuan (about 12.55 million U.S. dollars) on the platform, a figure equal to 5 percent of its 2021 domestic sales, the regulator said in a statement.

CNKI has abused its dominant market position since 2014 by selling database services at unfairly high prices and inking exclusive cooperation agreements.

This behavior has hindered competition within China's academic database services market, infringed on users' legitimate rights and interests, and compromised the innovation and development of related markets and academic exchanges, the administration said.

It urged CNKI to correct its wrongdoings and make comprehensive reforms to its internal compliance structure, among other areas, to facilitate the industry's well-regulated, healthy and innovative development.