Competition in China’s local services market intensified Tuesday as Alibaba and Meituan unveiled new initiatives targeting each other’s turf. Alibaba’s mapping unit, Amap — also known as Gaode — introduced “Amap Street Stars,” a merchant review system it pledged will never be commercialized. Alibaba also announced a support plan with billions of RMB in coupons, subsidies and incentives to boost small merchants. Analysts say Alibaba’s Amap initiative directly challenges Meituan’s dominance in local services, though Meituan retains a strong short-term advantage thanks to years of experience and loyal food delivery users. However, Alibaba’s vast traffic from Taobao, Alipay and Amap — combined with strong cash reserves — could reshape the market over time.