China Warns EU of "Strong Response" After 930 Billion Won Fine Imposed on Aliexpress

China Vows Strong Response to Protect Corporate Rights

The Chinese government has strongly protested the European Union (EU)'s imposition of a fine on Aliexpress, defining it as a discriminatory measure against Chinese companies.

Aliexpress. Reuters Yonhap News

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, on the 22nd, the agency expressed "strong dissatisfaction and serious concern" on its official website regarding the EU Commission's fine against Aliexpress, stating, "We strongly oppose the establishment of digital barriers and the adoption of discriminatory measures that restrict and suppress the normal business operations of Chinese e-commerce companies in Europe."

The Ministry went on to say, "China urges the European side to stop abusing its discretion by exploiting ambiguities in legal provisions and to treat Chinese companies fairly and justly," adding, "China firmly supports Chinese companies in using legal means to defend their rights and interests and will take strong measures to safeguard the legitimate interests of these companies."

On the 20th (local time), the EU Commission imposed a fine of 550 million euros (approximately 930 billion won) on Aliexpress, claiming that it violated the local Digital Services Act (DSA) by selling unsafe, illegal, and counterfeit goods.

This fine is the largest ever imposed for a DSA violation among the 27 EU member states.

Aliexpress immediately protested. In a statement to the Associated Press, Aliexpress said, "Since the implementation of the DSA, we have made every effort to fulfill the relevant obligations," and "We have invested significant resources in risk assessment and mitigation, product safety, and consumer protection."

It further stated, "This fine is excessively harsh and does not adequately reflect the management system we have already built and the proactive improvement measures we have implemented," adding, "We are reviewing all response options."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.