‘notorious markets’ includes sites operated by Tencent, Alibaba
By J.Lo
“This includes identifying for the first time AliExpress and the WeChat e-commerce ecosystem, two significant China-based online markets that reportedly facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting,” the US Trade Representative’s office (USTR) said in a statement E-commerce sites operated by China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd were included on the US government’s latest “notorious markets” list of entities that allegedly sell or facilitate sale of counterfeit goods, The list identifies 42 online markets and 35 physical markets that are reported to engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.
China-based online markets Baidu Wangpan, DHGate, Pinduoduo, and Taobao also continue to be part of the list, along with nine physical markets located within China “that are known for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit goods,” the USTR office said.
The list highlights online and physical markets that reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.
Alibaba will continue working with government agencies to address concerns in intellectual property protection across its platforms.
Industry bodies like American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Motion Picture Association welcomed the release of the report by the USTR.
The USTR office said in a separate report released United States needs to pursue new strategies and update its domestic trade tools to deal with China’s “state-led, non-market policies and practices.”
US and China have been engaged in trade tensions for years over issues like tariffs, technology and intellectual property, among others.
US has said China had failed to make good on some commitments under a so-called “Phase 1” trade agreement signed by the administration of former President Donald Trump.
After raising $1.6 million dollars in seed funding, Philippine e-commerce services provider Etaily said it believes the country can become a major hub for digital commerce in Southeast Asia.
Alexander Friedhoff, co-founder and chief executive officer of Etaily said, they expect the Philippine e-commerce sector to surpass its expected $12 billion size by 2025 as the health crisis accelerated the digital transformation of the country.
Friedhoff cited estimates from a study earlier released by Google, Temasek and Bain & Co.
“Here’s one clear big advantage, talking about the global eyes, Philippines has very very good set of skills regarding the language,” Friedhoff said.
Ayala Ventures, Foxmont Capital Partners, and Magsaysay Shipping & Logistics led investors who supported Etaily, and were joined by Boston Consulting Group’s managing director Anthony Oundjian.
Franco Varona, managing partner at Foxmont Capital Partners said Philippine e-commerce sector is poised to finally keep up with its Southeast Asian peers.
“The Philippines, as a market alone, can be very competitive with the rest of the region…you could basically just focus here with our 112 million citizens that are all becoming digital quite fast,” Varona said.
After foreign venture capital funds concentrated in markets like Indonesia in the region, Singaporean investors have begun looking elsewhere for growth, he said.
“That actually means that Singaporeans are sitting in Singapore with a lot of capital to deploy that are looking at other different places that they can do it outside of Indonesia, and this is where, I think, really that the Philippines becomes extremely interesting, ” Varona explained.
He said Etaily was able to help an upstart company that opened in April 2020 and is now able to move P20 million worth of goods per month.
“Once more and more notice that, we will then be on the same path as Indonesia 10 years ago and we’ll catch up much faster,” Varona said.
As for Jesse Maxwell, president and CEO of Magsaysay Shipping & Logistics, while Philippines’ limited manufacturing sector is stopping it from playing large role in regional supply-chain like China, the country’s demographics is still providing good opportunities.
“We do have huge Filipino diaspora around the world right there, at least 10 million people, and we do have some manufacturing capability,” Maxwell noted.
“I think what e-commerce and cross-border for e-commerce and the supply chains now and being able to reach consumers anywhere in the world is allowing for SMEs in the Philippines that can reach new markets from an exports point of view,” he added.
Etaily was founded in 2020, offering e-commerce solutions like building, managing, and growing digital platforms for both established and new retailers.
Among its clients are department store operator Landmark and other fashion and lifestyle brands.
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