China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) summoned Meituan (HKG:3690), JD.com, and Alibaba's Ele.me on Friday, urging them to engage in "rational" competition as the food delivery price war escalated, the South China Morning Post reported.

The regulator said platforms must adhere to e-commerce, anti-unfair competition, and food safety laws, and take on their responsibilities to consumers, merchants, riders, and the broader ecosystem, according to the report.

In a separate meeting the same day, the SAMR also raised food safety concerns tied to livestream e-commerce, citing excessive food additives and pesticide residues in some products sold during recent sessions, the SCMP wrote.

Influencer agencies and platform representatives attended, though the agency did not name participants, it added.

The regulator's talks followed months of intensifying rivalry between the platforms, which unleashed deep discounts and subsidies in a bid to capture market share, according to the report.

JD.com pledged over 10 billion yuan, while Alibaba committed 50 billion yuan in incentives via its Taobao Shangou service.