The USTR (United State Trade Representative) has just added a number of companies in its “Notorious Markets list” recently. The latest additions in the list includes a number of Chinese tech firms, like AliExpress and WeChat.

Looking at the official list, the USTR has added a number of business that it considers being involved in trading counterfeit goods and promoting piracy. The official data lists 42 online sites and around 35 physical stores, which includes e-commerce based platforms as well. The trade agency believes that these businesses “engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright privacy.”

Notable brands in this list include AliExpress, which is owned by the Alibaba group, along with the Tencent operated WeChat. The USTR stated that the AliExpress platform offered a number of anti-counterfeiting tools and systems, however, despite its efforts there were a significant rise in counterfeit goods being offered for sale on AliExpress. Similarly, it also flagged WeChat’s e-commerce ecosystem for facilitating the “distribution and sale of counterfeit products.”

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement that “The global trade in counterfeit and pirated goods undermines critical US innovation and creativity and harms American workers.” On the other hand, Tencent said that “We strongly disagree with the decision made by the United States Trade Representative and are committed to working collaboratively to resolve this matter.” It also added that it has invested significant resources into protecting intellectual property rights as well. Notably, the news arrives amid the ongoing frictions between the US and China. So it remains to be seen how the situation impacts the two major China based online markets.

RELATED:

• Deal: Get the Budget Smartwatch Amazfit BIP S for $50 at AliExpress
• Trump bans eight Chinese apps in the US, including Alipay and WeChat Pay
• PayPal enters the Chinese payment market to take on AliPay, WeChat Pay & others

The post AliExpress & WeChat added in the “Notorious Markets list” by the USTR appeared first on Gizmochina.

India has held up the approvals for the import for certain electronic products made in China for months. This hold up has also caused Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, along with US brands like Dell and HP to delay their product launches in the region.

According to a Reuters report, the local government has held up approvals for import of WiFi modules from China. This has caused electronic products maker to suffer from delayed launches in the key growth market. The hold up on approvals have caused delay of even finished products as well, like Bluetooth speakers, wireless earphones, smartphones, smartwatches, and laptops, with all of these gadgets also housing WiFi modules.

As per sources close to the matter, the Communications Ministry’s Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing has withheld approval since November 2020. The source even added that the various firms have been lobbying in a move to receive clearance. The report noted that over 80 applications are currently impending approval, including US, Chinese, and South Korean firms that have been been waiting for approval from WPC.

Unfortunately, Dell, HP, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Lenovo have yet to respond to any requests for comment. This move from WPC also signifies India’s stance on Chinese imports, as the nations Prime Minister calls for greater economic self reliance. One of the source added that “the government’s idea is to push companies to manufacture these products in India. But tech companies are caught in a difficult situation – making in India would mean big-ticket investments and a long wait for returns, on the other hand the government-imposed hurdle on imports means a potential loss of revenues.”

RELATED:

• PUBG maker announces Battlegrounds Mobile India, pre-registerations to start soon
• COVID 19 impact on India’s offline phone market could lead to 50,000 job losses
• Indian smartphone market witnesses 26% YoY growth in Q1 2021: Report

The post India holds up approvals for China made electronic devices, causing launch delays appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Chinese technology companies suffered a lot because of the policies implemented by the former US President Donald Trump. The situation was expected to get a bit better under Joe Biden but it seems that isn’t the case.

As per the latest report, the Biden administration is expected to add “new targeted sanctions” on some sensitive technology exports to China in cooperation with the country’s allies. This comes ahead of the first call of Joe Biden with China’s Xi Jinping.

Apart from adding new trade restrictions for sensitive technologies, it is also being said that the United States government won’t list trade tariffs imposed by the Trump administration before conducting “intense consultation and review” with the allies.

During a briefing session, an official told, “We are maintaining those tariffs while we conduct our review because we’re not going to act precipitously. President Biden’s major criticism of the Trump strategy here was not that he wasn’t getting tough on China on trade, but that he was doing so alone, while also fighting our allies.”

It was also said that Joe Biden is aiming to quickly work with Republicans to boost public investment in technology sectors that are crucial to the United States’ economic edge, including semiconductors, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

RELATED: 

• Huawei asks US courts to overturn its national security threat designation
• Xiaomi blocks users from installing Google’s GMS on its smartphones in China
• Semiconductor association urges US government to ease export restrictions

The post United States could add more trade restrictions for technology export to China appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung Display and LG Display, the display-making subsidiary of Samsung and LG have entered into a new strategic partnership to help small and medium-sized enterprises in their home country South Korea.

The development comes at a time when the trade restrictions imposed by the Japanese government last year are still in effect, which has hit the SME suppliers. Thus, Samsung and LG have joined hands to look for alternative solutions for helping SMEs grow.

EDITOR’S PICK: Chinese giant Huawei plans on creating more jobs and raising investments in foreign markets

As per the reports, Samsung Display and LG Display have established a consultative body which consists of around 30 display business across the supply chain — from materials to components and equipment sector.

Both the company are aiming to help these local suppliers advance their technology, which can in turn help Samsung and LG reduce their reliance on overseas companies and suppliers and at the same time help the local ecosystem grow.

Reports indicate that the South Korean SMEs are now aiming to develop stepper exposure systems and ion implantation equipment with the conglomerate’s help.

Apart from the efforts of these two giants, the South Korean government is also trying to foster local suppliers. It has introduced new policies that should bring in investments of around 5 trillion won by 2022 to 339 component suppliers. Additionally, the government is also offering 1.5 trillion won in tax benefits and subsidies.

UP NEXT: 5G smartphone shipments in China have surpassed 100 million units in 2020

The post Samsung and LG partners to foster local suppliers in South Korea appeared first on Gizmochina.

China is “blackmailing” India into using Huawei for its 5G infrastructure, an influential U.S. Congressman alleged on Tuesday. The U.S. has banned Huawei, one of the leaders in 5G development, over concerns of security, and Washington has been putting pressure on other countries to restrict the operations of the Chinese telecom firm.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s been almost impossible to avoid the barrage of news regarding Huawei’s ban in the USA. The Trump administration has been asking all its allies and friends, including India, to block the entry of Huawei from using their 5G infrastructure, a next generation cellular technology with download speeds stated to be 10 to 100 times faster than the current 4G LTE networks.

Congressman Jim Banks claims that “China is now blackmailing India into using Huawei for its 5G infrastructure — they know no bounds!” He goes on to say that “(The Chinese Communist Party) moves to strong-arming countries into exposing themselves to surveillance and espionage.”

On the other hand, China on Tuesday made claims hoping that India would make an “independent and objective” judgement on permitting its telecom giant Huawei in 5G trials and services in the country.

India themselves haven’t had anything concrete to say. In October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Chinese President Xi Jinping in the sacred Hindu city of Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency in northern India, where the two are expected to address trade issues including a US$53 billion trade deficit in 2018-19 that India is concerned about.

Senator Marsha Blackburn alleged that China, along with state-run company Huawei, is looking to push its spy embedded technology onto America and its allies. “We need to draw a hard line to protect our national security interests and intellectual property,” she said.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that if a country adopts Huawei technology, the U.S. “won’t be able to share” information with them. “We won’t be able to work alongside them,” he said. For any updates on the situation, stay tuned here on Gizmochina.com.

UP NEXT: Huawei’s Mate 30 Pro to have two massive 40MP camera sensors

(Source)

The post US congressman claims China is strong-arming India into using Huawei 5G appeared first on Gizmochina.