HIGHLIGHTS
- The 2021 Notorious Marketplaces List included 42 online and 35 physical markets.
- WeChat had over 1.2 billion active users worldwide.
- China stated that it does not "recognise the report's conclusions."
Tencent, the Chinese internet giant, said Friday that it strongly disagreed with the United States' decision to put its WeChat app to a government list of "notorious" markets renowned for counterfeit goods trafficking.
WeChat and e-commerce site AliExpress were among those included to the US Trade Representative's (USTR) list of marketplaces that "engage in, assist, turn a blind eye to, or benefit from significant piracy or counterfeiting."
The 2021 Notorious Marketplaces List included 42 online markets and 35 physical markets worldwide, including additional web platforms such as Baidu Wangpan in China.
Tencent, the Chinese internet giant, said on Friday that it strongly disagreed with the US decision to add its WeChat app to a government list of "notorious" markets known for counterfeit goods trafficking.
The US Trade Representative's (USTR) list of marketplaces that "engage in, facilitate, turn a blind eye to, or benefit from major piracy or counterfeiting" includes WeChat and e-commerce site AliExpress.
The 2021 Notorious Marketplaces List comprised 42 online marketplaces and 35 physical markets from across the world, as well as other web platforms such as Baidu Wangpan in China.
In a statement, China stated that it does not "recognise the report's conclusions" and that the government has made "consistent advances" in its intellectual property protection system in recent years.
Alibaba, which controls AliExpress, did not respond to AFP's request for comment.
According to the USTR, WeChat is "viewed as one of the main sites for counterfeit products in China," noting "weaknesses" in seller verification and moderate penalties for violators.
It also stated that there has been a "substantial surge" in the sale of counterfeit items on AliExpress.
According to the USTR, China "continues to be the world's leading source of counterfeit items."
