Vice-premier: No letup in fight against fake goods

Vice-Premier Wang Yang said on Monday that China will continue to fight counterfeit products, particularly fake products exported to countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, to maintain a good image for products made in the country.

The reputation for counterfeit products has not been fully eradicated, and efforts still need to be made, said Wang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The country must continue to fight against fake products on the internet, be innovative in law enforcement, reinforce supervision of major websites and establish a supervision system both online and offline, he said.

In the future, China will reinforce cooperation between different regions, government departments and countries with a focus on major products, major areas and important links, Wang added.

The Belt and Road Initiative, comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was put forward by China in 2013.

Although problems remain, Wang said, China has accomplished much in the campaign against counterfeit products and has fostered a fertile environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.

In 2016, Chinese authorities cracked more than 170,000 cases concerning intellectual property rights infringement and counterfeit products, and arrested nearly 20,000 suspects.

China launched a campaign against fake exports in 2015 to safeguard China's image.

According to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, some 900,000 fake products were confiscated and 3.73 million yuan ($562,500) in fines levied in 2015 and 2016.

The next move in the campaign is to expand the network against fake goods and reinforce inspections.

The administration said in May that it would set up an inspection network involving major export companies, their agents and after-sale maintenance centers overseas, to track and collect information on fake products. By 2020, the campaign will cover products exported to 30 percent of the world, it said.