China's Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and State Administration for Market Regulation on September 1 jointly issued the Guidelines for Overseas Competitive Conduct and Compliance Development in the Automobile Industry, the government's first dedicated framework addressing Chinese automakers' competitive behavior abroad. The four-chapter, 20-article document covers pricing, dealer relationships, promotions, data management, labor, intellectual property, antitrust compliance and environmental responsibilities. Its central message is that companies should set reasonable prices reflecting production costs and overseas market conditions, avoid abrupt or large-scale price changes, and respect the independent pricing authority of overseas dealers and sales partners. The policy is recommendatory rather than binding, while local antitrust and consumer-protection laws continue to apply in foreign markets. The move comes as Chinese vehicle exports accelerate: 8.32 million vehicles were exported to more than 200 countries and regions last year, while exports reached 6.41 million units in the first seven months of this year, up 54% from a year earlier. Annual exports are projected to exceed 12 million units. Beijing is seeking to prevent the severe domestic price war, or neijuan, from spreading overseas as companies including BYD, Geely Automobile, Xpeng, Li Auto and Xiaomi compete aggressively in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. BYD's overseas sales rose 134.5% to 189,466 vehicles last month, and overseas revenue exceeded domestic revenue for the first time in the first half of this year. The guidelines could ease short-term pricing pressure on South Korea's Hyundai Motor and Kia, but analysts and industry observers say competition may increasingly shift toward products, brands, service networks and customer support rather than disappear.