Chinese regulator orders Tencent to give up exclusive music licensing

China’s market regulator has ordered Tencent Holdings Ltd. and its affiliated companies to relinquish exclusive rights to music labels, in what appears to be yet another case of a clampdown on the multinational technology conglomerate.

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) in a statement on Saturday said, “To restore market competition, Tencent and its affiliated companies must end their exclusive music copyrights within 30 days and stop charging high prepayment and other copyright fees.”

Tencent should not demand superior treatment compared to competitors from copyright owners without justified reasons, the SAMR added. The company was also fined about USD 77,340, the SAMR statement read.