Alibaba case underlines govt resolution to curb fakes

BEIJING - The public spat between Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and the country's commerce watchdog has brought the government's resolution to crack down on counterfeiting and protect consumers to the forefont. The spat was prompted by a sample survey conducted by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, which found more fakes than genuine items were sold on Taobao, a popular online shopping site operated by Alibaba. Boosted by a huge number of customers and the largest, constantly improving e-commerce environment, China's online retail market has been thriving over the past few years, leading to the rise of companies such as Alibaba and JD.com. Despite intensified supervision, the government should accelerate the adoption of effect`ive legislation and ensure better implementation, while industry players mobilizing more resources to enhance consumer protections.