More coordination needed to crack down on counterfeit goods online

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In line with the theme for this year's World Consumer Rights Day – "Making digital marketplaces fairer" – China's government-backed consumer rights group is cracking down on e-commerce platforms for selling counterfeit products.

According to the China E-business Research Center, 13.34 percent of China's online complaints in the first half of 2017 were against cross-border e-commerce platforms.

In a test carried out on February, the China Consumers Association found that counterfeits were purchased from nine of 16 targeted shops, and 16 of 53 well-known foreign products couldn't be authenticated. The e-commerce companies have declined to comment.

Chinese authorities, however, are making their efforts known.

"The Chaoyang Branch of the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce has signed framework agreements with four e-commerce platforms in the district," said Yun Yue, the branch's section chief.

"We send reports about consumer complaints, product quality and trademark infringement regularly to these e-commerce companies in the hope of motivating them to perfect their management and protect consumers' rights."

However, experts are saying a more coordinated mechanism should be set up among all the departments involved when it comes to fighting counterfeit production.

"The pricing is managed by the NDRC, China's economic planner. The product's quality is controlled by the State Quality Inspection Administration. When it comes to trademark infringement, it is the Administration for Industry and Commerce," said Li Honghan, a research fellow at Renmin University.

"The public security department may also be involved for inspection. And the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is also involved in terms of online purchases. But I don't see a coordinated mechanism among them."

Li also suggested that Chinese consumers' tolerance towards fake goods may be contributing to their continued production.