Nike and LVMH more lenient about China’s knock-offs than Trump
Both companies say China is addressing around intellectual property theft, which Donald Trump has used to justify sanctions
Shanghai/Beijing — Nike and LVMH, which have long struggled against knock-offs of their famous products, have praised China’s efforts to fight intellectual property (IP) theft. US President Donald Trump has cited IP violations, including the counterfeiting of major brands, as justification for imposing tariffs on Chinese exports. But executives at the two companies were more charitable at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Thursday. The country has helped create a “much-improved environment for brands” compared with a decade ago, said Valérie Sonnier, global IP director at Louis Vuitton Malletier. China has done “much more than some other countries”, she said. Sonnier cited government crackdowns on sophisticated counterfeiting rings in Southern China’s Guangdong province that prevented exports of fake Louis Vuitton bags to Dubai and the US. Margo Fowler, Nike’s chief IP officer, echoed those sentiments, expressing appreciation for “the growth in China’s IP system in ...
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