Corporate News
China steps up control of export goods quality
A shopkeeper selling counterfeit shoes waits for customers at stall in Beijing November 27, 2007. Chinese authorities have been fighting to allay fears over sub-standard and counterfeit goods. Reuters
Posted Monday, January 4 2010 at 19:21
According to estimates by the US Customs and Border Protection unit, close to 80 per cent of all counterfeit goods seized at the US border annually are from China. The value of such goods seized on US borders from China rose by 40 per cent in 2008, to $221.7 million, indicating the magnitude of the problem.
Mr Hongbo however said the trend is likely to improve gradually following a move by the Chinese government to adopt a more stringent monitoring and quality control programme on exports leaving its soil.
“We are certain the move will work to improve the situation because Chinese products remain popular abroad and we want give customers the best at all times,” he said.
Some analysts have blamed China’s shaky legal system for encouraging the counterfeits and cited the country’s criminal code that specifies a minimum value for seized counterfeit goods before prosecutors could trigger any criminal action against such nabbed offenders. Reports showed that in China, seizures worth less than 50,000 yuan ($7,330) aren’t prosecuted by police, leaving headroom for the malpractice to flourish.
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