Tencent, a Chinese multinational technology conglomerate holding company, is suspended from releasing new mobile applications and updating existing ones without regulators’ approval after allegations that several of its products violated consumer interests, NikkeiAsia reports.
The order is part of “temporary administrative guidance” against Tencent as regulators ramp up scrutiny of the country’s internet sector. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) told app stores and platforms to implement the order immediately.
Tencent operates dozens of apps including WeChat, which hosts 1.2 billion users worldwide. Existing apps remain functional and available for download, Tencent said.
