In the first week of 2022, China’s main internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), announced a revised version of its cybersecurity review regulations. These little-known regulations played a key role in crippling Didi’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange last summer and, starting next month, the revised rules will officially place more restrictions on Chinese companies seeking overseas listings.
Called the Measures of Cybersecurity Review, the then-obscure set of rules was cited by the CAC regulators last July as the basis for launching a security investigation into ride-hailing giant Didi, just three days after its IPO. Specifically, the CAC cited the need to protect national data security and public interest. It also ordered app stores in China to immediately remove Didi’s apps. The regulator pointed to a previous version of the Measures, the National Security Law, and the Cybersecurity Law as the legal basis for the review.
Didi has since announced plans to delist from the US and is considering a Hong Kong listing. At the time of the publication, Didi is still undergoing the cybersecurity review and its apps remain unavailable on domestic app stores. The Didi investigation initiated an intense period of regulatory moves in China, upending business plans and the stock prices of many Chinese tech giants.
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