China sets three-year target for counterfeit clampdown

The Chinese government has said it intends to make significant inroads into the country's counterfeit problem within three years.

A notice published on the central government website details a number of measures to crack down on counterfeiting and intellectual property (IP) infringement on the Internet, including regulation reforms and industry self-regulation.

The aim is to create a "secure trading environment" that also supports the development of the e-commerce sector, reports the official Xinhua news agency.

The notice highlights a number of industrial categories that will be the focus of possible regulatory reforms, including agricultural products, food and drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, electrical and electronic products and auto parts.

The government said it intends to make use of "big data, cloud computing, the Internet of things and mobile computing" to monitor the marketplace, according to the circular, which also points to an increased emphasis on encouraging corporate responsibility and strengthening law enforcement.

Last week, a report delivered to the government suggested that counterfeit and low quality goods account for more than 40 per cent of online sales in China.