China threatens EU countermeasures over JD.com’s €2.2bn Ceconomy bid
China has threatened the EU with “decisive” countermeasures and barred assistance to Brussels’ information requests over the Commission’s review of JD.com’s €2.2 billion bid for Ceconomy.
China has threatened the European Union with “decisive” countermeasures over Brussels’ investigation into JD.com’s planned €2.2 billion takeover of Ceconomy, the German parent of MediaMarkt and Saturn.
China’s Ministry of Justice said on Thursday that it would react “decisively” if the EU maintains its current approach to the deal, and it barred organisations and individuals in China from assisting the EU with certain information requests, Handelsblatt reported.
The EU Commission has been examining the planned acquisition since May 2026 under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, focusing on whether JD.com received Chinese subsidies that could distort competition in Europe. JD.com’s offer values Ceconomy at roughly €2.2 billion.
The German Federal Cartel Office has already cleared the takeover. The EU review runs separately and is the main remaining obstacle to completion.
What Beijing objected to
The Chinese Ministry of Justice accused Brussels of demanding extensive and unnecessary information from China, according to Handelsblatt. The new ban on assisting EU information requests raises the practical cost of the Commission’s fact-finding and signals that Beijing regards the probe as an extraterritorial overreach.
Deal status
| Regulator | Status | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| German Federal Cartel Office | Cleared | Domestic competition |
| EU Commission | In-depth review since May 2026 | Foreign subsidies under FSR |
Source: Handelsblatt
With German antitrust approval in hand, the transaction now depends on the EU’s subsidy review. The Commission has not set a final deadline publicly. A prolonged investigation would keep Ceconomy’s ownership in limbo and could force JD.com to offer remedies or abandon the bid.
