Tencent Holdings Ltd. said it would gradually remove some competitive barriers from its WeChat service, including making it easier for users to share e-commerce listings from major rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. on the messaging app.
The change came after Beijing made it clear this week that companies must stop blocking links leading to rivals’ services on their apps, part of authorities’ efforts to curb the power of Chinese consumer giants by tearing down the virtual curbs they have built in recent years. The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Tencent and Alibaba were considering opening up their services to one another, amid mounting regulatory pressure.