Dear Colleagues,

Last week, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) issued a report on Chinese e-commerce platforms and counterfeits. While it’s true that China remains the leading source of fake goods, ITIF’s analysis is riddled with errors, bias, and misleading claims.

One such glaring mistake - the report falsely states that Temu is a member of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC). It is not—and no marketplace has ever been an IACC member. A quick look at our publicly-available membership list would have made this clear. Temu is one of several global e-commerce platforms participating in our Marketplace Advisory Council (MAC), a forum for dialogue and best-practice sharing. The distinction is not a minor one.

The report also leans on specious evidence. Of 42 products purchased and delivered during its “investigation,” only 2 were confirmed counterfeit—less than 5%. Yet ITIF still questions the progress made by platforms, brands, and enforcement agencies working together to tackle this global problem.

Equally concerning, ITIF criticizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection for not seizing “suspected” counterfeits, while incorrectly citing the relevant regulation and ignoring a variety of other possible reasons for the agency’s decision.

Counterfeiting is not just a “China problem.” Bad actors exploit every platform worldwide. And if you point to specific platforms as part of the problem, then they must also be part of the solution. That’s exactly what the Marketplace Advisory Council is doing—bringing together the world’s most famous brands, SMEs, payment processors, and the largest e-commerce platforms to build a safer, more trusted online market.

And let’s not overlook the irony: ITIF itself counts e-commerce marketplaces and social media platforms – some of whom have been on the receiving end of critiques not unlike those it now levels against Chinese platforms – among its own board and supporters, even as it criticizes others for such engagement.

After two decades in this fight, the IACC knows that progress comes from collaboration, not finger-pointing. ITIF’s report doesn’t move the conversation forward—it sets it back.

Sincerely,