Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. are considering moves to gradually open up their services to one another, as Beijings tech crackdown makes it harder for Chinas two online giants to maintain the virtual barriers they have built in recent years.
That would mark a big shift for Chinas consumer internet, which has largely split into two camps built around the arch rivals. The restrictions mean, for example, that customers cant use Tencents payment system to buy goods on an Alibaba platform.
Now, both companies are separately working on plans to loosen those curbs, according to people familiar with the matter. The system could make life more convenient for consumersand help spur greater competitionbut will also mean the duo will have more insight into each others businesses.
Initial steps from Alibaba could include introducing Tencents WeChat Pay to Alibabas e-commerce marketplaces, Taobao and Tmall, some of the people said.
Tencent could make it easier to share Alibaba e-commerce listings on its WeChat messaging app, or allow selected Alibaba services to access WeChat users via so-called mini-programs, some of the people said. Mini-programs are light apps embedded in the main WeChat app.
Excerpt from:
Alibaba and Tencent Consider Opening Up Their Walled Gardens - The Wall Street Journal
