Chinese industry regulators are studying whether Taobao Mall, the country’s largest e-commerce platform, engaged in a monopoly, China Daily reported Monday, quoting a commerce ministry official.

The Ministry of Commerce suspects Taobao Mall may have held a monopoly, Nie Linhai, deputy commercial counselor of the ministry’s Department of Electronic Commerce and Information, was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Taobao has been in spotlight recently after a group of small-and medium-sized vendors launched a protest last month against the company. Protest aroused when the Alibaba Group unit increased service fees and the cash deposits it takes from vendors starting next year.

Protestors were still dissatisfied, though the Alibaba’s chief Jack Ma had promised to give them a grace period to pay fees and a reduction in their deposits, the newspaper cited a seller surnamed Liu as reporting.

Nie said the ministry hasn’t yet received any applications from sellers. He also told Chinadaily that Taobao, as a public platform, should not serve its own interest regardless of those of other people.

Source:caijing