China's major internet companies, including Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba-affiliated firms, have signed a self-discipline pact aimed at promoting interoperability and breaking down the 'walled gardens' that isolate their platforms. The initiative is guided by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and encourages a more open and collaborative digital ecosystem. The agreement focuses on three key areas: enabling seamless service switching across different platforms, recognizing and allowing access to external links, and promoting gradual data interoperability under legal and secure conditions. This move aligns with Beijing's long-standing regulatory goal of increasing competition and user choice within the country's powerful tech sector.