You could see a demand like this coming. China passed a law in 2016 that prevented apps from doing things that allegedly threaten national security or the social status quo, and just recently had Apple pull the New York Times' app in a likely bid to enforce that law. A registration requirement ultimately helps enforce this measure -- the government will have records that it can wield when it wants to target apps or whole stores.

This could have a positive effect for Chinese smartphone owners, since they don't have official access to Google Play and its tighter security screening. Stores that frequently permit frauds and viruses could find themselves in hot water pretty quickly. However, it's bad news for anyone hoping to offer apps that normally won't make it past the censors. Locals might not have much choice but to sideload apps or otherwise work harder to get those titles the government doesn't want them to see.