China Deploys Dual Crackdown-and-Guidance Strategy to Regulate Booming Livestreaming Sector

The initiative is being shepherded by the Cybersecurity Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, the central authority responsible for overseeing China’s “network ecological governance.” In recent months that mandate has sharpened its focus on live‑broadcast platforms and short‑video services, industries that have exploded in popularity but also attracted a growing tide of illegal content, financial fraud and other violations of the country’s stringent online rules.

The dual strategy is not brand‑new. Academic papers and policy discussions dating back to 2017 have explored the concept of “双管齐下” – a Chinese idiom that translates to “two pipes flowing together” or “shooting with two barrels simultaneously” – as a model for tackling complex governance or national security. The second, “宣传引导” (publicity and guidance), seeks to shape user behavior through campaigns that promote legal awareness, ethical standards and adherence to community norms.

A concrete illustration of the first pillar emerged from Hainan Province, where local cyber police have already taken action against five livestreamers deemed non‑compliant. According to reports from the provincial cyber‑police office, the streamers were punished for breaching regulations that safeguard the legal bottom line and public order. While the identities of the individuals were not disclosed, the cases signal that the crackdown is already moving from policy statements to on‑the‑ground enforcement.

The second pillar, by contrast, is less visible in the immediate news cycle but equally integral to the broader plan. Government agencies have been mobilising education campaigns across social media, streaming platforms and even traditional outlets, warning users about the dangers of illegal content and reminding them of the legal responsibilities of online creators. These initiatives are intended to complement the punitive measures, creating a feedback loop in which clearer expectations reduce the incidence of infractions, thereby easing the burden on law‑enforcement resources.

The coordinated effort dovetails with China’s wider push to cultivate a “healthy” digital environment. In recent years, the central government has repeatedly emphasized the need to nurture a “clean” internet ecosystem, a goal that aligns with its vision of a socially stable, technologically advanced nation. The livestreaming boom, which has turned ordinary citizens into full‑time influencers and generated billions of yuan in revenue, presents both an economic opportunity and a regulatory challenge. The dual approach reflects an attempt to balance those competing imperatives.

Public reaction to the latest actions appears muted, at least in the data available to external observers. Searches of Weibo and other platforms have turned up academic commentary and generic discussions about internet governance, but no clear, widespread sentiment regarding the Hainan enforcement or the broader policy rollout. This silence may be due in part to the nascent nature of the campaign, the limited visibility of the individual enforcement cases, or a cautious online discourse shaped by China’s tight media environment.

Nonetheless, the policy announcement has attracted attention from industry insiders and analysts who view it as a sign that the authorities are moving from ad‑hoc crackdowns to a more systematic, institutionalised oversight framework. By pairing enforcement with outreach, officials hope to deter violations before they occur while also fostering a culture of compliance among streamers who now occupy a powerful – and sometimes controversial – space in China’s digital landscape.

As the livestreaming sector continues to evolve, the success of the “dual‑pipe” strategy will hinge on its capacity to adapt to new forms of content creation, emerging platforms and the ever‑shifting tactics of those who seek to skirt the law. For now, the message from Beijing’s cyber police is unmistakable: the era of unchecked livestreaming chaos is drawing to a close, replaced by a tightly managed ecosystem where prevention, punishment and public education work in concert to safeguard both the online community and the state’s broader social objectives.