Group 1 - The core viewpoint emphasizes the need for a unified national market to combat "involution" in various industries, which has led to unhealthy competition and profit sacrifices among companies [1][4][11] - The government is implementing a series of measures to address "involution" by promoting fair competition and optimizing resource allocation, which is crucial for the construction of a unified national market [2][5][10] - The recent policies focus on both constraints and guidance, including prohibiting local governments from offering unfair incentives and promoting mergers and technological innovation in key industries [5][6] Group 2 - The regulatory framework is evolving, with new laws such as the revised Anti-Unfair Competition Law aimed at preventing predatory pricing and ensuring fair competition among businesses [8][9] - The government is actively seeking to break down local protectionism and market barriers, which are significant obstacles to the establishment of a unified national market [10][11] - Initial results from the government's "combination punches" against "involution" have shown improvements in capacity management and pricing rationality in industries like steel, automotive, and e-commerce [11]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ongoing "involution" competition across various industries in China, emphasizing the need for a unified national market and the government's efforts to regulate and guide this competition to ensure a healthy market environment [2][4][11]. Group 1: Involution Competition - The "involution" competition has escalated from e-commerce and automotive sectors to electronics, food, steel, and cement industries, leading to a detrimental cycle where companies sacrifice profits for market share [2][4]. - The Chinese government, through multiple departments, is actively implementing measures to address this "involution" competition, aiming to break the cycle and promote a healthier market order [2][5][11]. Group 2: Government Measures - The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has introduced guidelines to prevent local governments from offering illegal incentives in areas such as finance, taxes, and resources, focusing on both constraints and guidance [5][6]. - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is targeting key industries like automotive and steel to encourage structural adjustments and the elimination of outdated capacities [6][11]. - The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is conducting targeted actions against unfair competition across a wide range of sectors, including e-commerce and food, to ensure fair market practices [6][9]. Group 3: Price Governance Framework - Recent reforms in the Anti-Unfair Competition Law aim to establish a fair competition review system, prohibiting practices that disrupt market order through below-cost pricing [8][9]. - The NDRC and SAMR are working on revising the pricing law to address predatory pricing and ensure that service pricing is also regulated, enhancing the legal framework for market supervision [9][10]. Group 4: Achievements and Future Directions - Initial results from the government's "combination punches" against "involution" competition show improvements in industries like steel and construction materials, with a gradual recovery in upstream supply chain prices [11]. - The article highlights the need for further reforms in performance evaluation and fiscal systems to eliminate local protectionism and market barriers, which are essential for the successful establishment of a unified national market [11].

Core Viewpoint - The report from Industrial Securities emphasizes the importance of regulating low-price disorderly competition in enterprises as a key focus of recent "anti-involution" policies, highlighting the negative impact of excessive competition on prices, as evidenced by the persistent negative Producer Price Index (PPI) since October 2022 [1][23]. Group 1: Current Economic Conditions - China's current economic environment is characterized by a third round of capacity cycle downturn, having declined for approximately four years since the previous peak, with significant industry differentiation due to factors such as the pandemic and trade friction [2][8]. - The industrial capacity utilization rate has been on a downward trend since June 2021, reflecting a weakening in fixed asset investment growth in the manufacturing sector [2][8]. Group 2: Price and Capacity Dynamics - The report indicates that the current supply-side state shows clear differentiation among industries, with black metals and non-metallic minerals experiencing low capacity, output, and price levels, while emerging sectors like electrical machinery and automotive manufacturing still maintain relatively high capacity and output levels despite low price indicators [12][20]. - The "anti-involution" policy aims to break the negative cycle of "price for volume" and guide industries back to a normal capacity cycle, with two potential paths: either a slight price increase leading to natural demand decline or significant demand stimulation with substantial price increases [21][23]. Group 3: Recent Price Trends - Recent data shows that low-priced goods below historical median prices have seen significant price increases, particularly in sectors such as black metals (coking coal, steel), new energy (polysilicon, lithium), and chemicals [28][29]. - Specific price changes include coking coal increasing by 36.6% over the past month and polysilicon rising by 23.2%, indicating a recovery in certain sectors [29]. Group 4: Policy Implications - The report outlines recent policy measures aimed at preventing low-cost competition, including the introduction of a price law amendment and the emphasis on market regulation to maintain fair competition and quality standards [25][23]. - The focus on price mechanisms and the establishment of benchmark costs in key industries is expected to support the recovery of prices and stabilize market conditions [23][25].