Consumers urged to be wary of contracts

China's telecommunications, banking and electronics industries continue to impose unfair contract terms on consumers, according to the results of investigations by the country's industry and commerce authority.

As of March, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce has investigated more than 1,200 cases involving unfair contract terms to consumers in the telecommunications and banking sectors. It has issued more than 4,500 rectification notices to enterprises since 2013, Liu Hongwei, deputy head of the authority's market division, said in a news conference on Tuesday.

Liu said the problem of unfair terms in consumer contracts has long existed in the telecommunications, banking and electronics sectors.

"These problems cannot be solved by administrative campaigns alone. Consumers should increase their awareness to protect their rights before signing contracts with service providers," Liu said.

In the electronics sector, the authority investigated more than 1,400 cases and issued more than 4,500 rectification notices, Liu said.

Among the enterprises investigated were a number of authorized after-sales service providers for Apple Inc and Apple Computer Trading (Shanghai) Co, which were found to have used the contract terms to undermine consumer rights.

The authority said the Shanghai company revised contract terms offered to consumers, even after several administrative orders were issued to correct the problem.