Tencent, Alibaba added to US list of ‘notorious markets’

The US Trade Representative’s Office said on Thursday that e-commerce sites operated by China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd have been included in the US government’s latest “notorious markets” list.

The list identified 42 online marketplaces and 35 physical markets that have been reported to engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright theft.

“This includes identifying for the first time the AliExpress and WeChat e-commerce ecosystem, two important China-based online markets that reportedly facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting,” the USTR office said in a statement.

China-based online markets Baidu Wangpan, DHGate, Pinduoduo, and Taobao also remain part of the list, as well as nine physical markets located within China “known for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit goods,” the USTR office said. said.

Alibaba said it would continue to work with government agencies to address concerns in intellectual property protection on its platforms.

Tencent said it strongly disagrees with the decision and is “committed to working together to resolve this matter”. It actively monitored, prevented and acted upon breaches on its platforms, and invested significant resources in protecting intellectual property rights.

Inclusion on the list is a blow to the companies reputation, but there is no direct penalty.

Industry bodies including the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Motion Picture Association welcomed the release of the report by USTR.

The USTR office said in a separate report released Wednesday that the United States needs to advance new strategies and update its domestic trading tools to deal with China’s “state-led, non-market policies and practices”. Is.

The United States and China have for years engaged in trade tensions over issues such as tariffs, technology and intellectual property.

The United States has said that China has failed to meet certain commitments under the so-called “Phase 1” trade agreement signed by former President Donald Trump’s administration.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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