Taobao becomes a captured pawn in US' game of trade protectionism

TWENTY-FIVE ONLINE MARKETPLACES in a variety of countries, including Taobao, the e-commerce platform of China's Ablibaba Group, were included in the latest US Trade Representative's "notorious markets" review for selling fakes. Yanzhao Metropolis Daily commented on Monday:

The so-called notorious markets' blacklist stems from Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes the president to take unilateral actions against foreign countries that the US deems to be burdening or restricting US commerce.

That the Section 301 cases can be self-initiated by the US Trade Representative or as the result of a petition filed by a company or industry group makes it a tool for the US to pressure its trade partners, especially in the sectors where US companies are losing ground.