CHINESE tech giant Tencent said it strongly disagrees with a United States decision to add its WeChat app to a government list of “notorious” markets known for trade in counterfeit goods.

E-commerce site AliExpress and WeChat are among those put on the list by the US Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday, spotlighting markets “engaging in, facilitating, turning a blind eye to, or benefiting from substantial piracy or counterfeiting”.

The 2021 Notorious Markets List flagged 42 online markets and 35 physical markets globally, including other web platforms such as China’s Baidu Wangpan.

“We strongly disagree with the decision made by the USTR,” said Tencent in response, adding that the company is committed to working to resolve the listing.

WeChat, a ubiquitous platform in China, has more than 1.2 billion active users around the world last year, and Tencent said it takes a “comprehensive approach” to fighting counterfeiting and infringement on its platforms.

E-commerce titan Alibaba, which owns AliExpress, did not reply to requests for comment.

The USTR said WeChat is “viewed as one of the largest platforms for counterfeit goods in China”, citing “weaknesses” in its seller vetting and mild punishments against offenders.

There has been a “significant increase” in fake goods sold on AliExpress, it added.

China “continues to be the number one source of counterfeit products in the world”. – AFP, February 18, 2022.