‘Stop Politicizing’ Trade, Says Beijing of USTR's Notorious Markets List

China “attaches high importance” to the protection of intellectual property rights, said a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Friday, reacting to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s 2021 Notorious Markets report on counterfeit and pirated goods flagging China’s AliExpress and WeChat e-commerce platforms for the first time (see 2202170053). “We urge the U.S. side to stop politicizing economic and trade issues,” and to view Chinese companies’ “efforts and achievements in IPR protection in a comprehensive, objective and just manner,” the spokesperson said. Beijing encourages Chinese companies to conduct their overseas businesses “in accordance with market principles and host country laws and regulations,” he said.