Amazon.com Inc.'s Jeff Bezos has made a career of being first in e-commerce. But in one critical area, he's falling behind — thanks to Washington. While Bezos has been eager to deliver orders to customers in the United States with drones, Amazon's efforts have so far been stymied by outdated regulations.
Meanwhile, JD.com Inc., an Amazon-like Chinese retailer, is soaring past its American rival. JD has already employed drones to make thousands of deliveries in China, where regulators haven't been as obstructive. The startup has received approval from five provinces to fly drones so far, and is applying for more. It recently announced plans to build 150 drone stations in southwestern Sichuan province alone.
Washington should take note. President Donald Trump has been making a big deal of his intention to eliminate regulation, insisting that it stifles businesses. Looking at the case of China, he has a point. In some respects, looser oversight in China is allowing companies to experiment in ways that are more difficult for their American counterparts. And that can give Chinese competitors an edge — especially when it comes to technology companies driven by risk and innovation.