Published: 1:42pm, 25 Jan, 2016 Updated: 2:54pm, 20 Jul, 2018
The state-run Taobao Discipline Inspection Newspaper has warned Communist Party members not to make earnings by setting up independent online stores: e-commerce is viewed by the party as a potential source of graft. If members are found to have opened a personal store on e-commerce sites such as China or social messaging sites like WeChat, they could be reprimanded or even expelled, depending on the severity of the case. People in Taobao are increasingly using such sites run by individuals for small purchases like importing food and clothing, as they are perceived to offer higher-quality goods.