CHINA’S market regulator Thursday vowed to intensify crackdowns on the production and sale of counterfeit and shoddy goods after alleged violations by online group discounter Pinduoduo sparked heated discussion.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) required local market regulators to crack down on illegal activities such as the production and sale of counterfeit and shoddy goods, trademark infringement, false propaganda and illegal advertising, the SAMR said on its website.

Those involved in the entire supply chain of substandard products will be investigated, it said.

The SAMR said Wednesday it would investigate Pinduoduo Inc. after many consumers and trademark holders complained that the company is selling counterfeits and replicas of brand products.

Any illegal operations on a third-party platform and the companies doing business via such platforms will be punished according to the law, the SAMR said.

Founded in 2015, Shanghai-based Pinduoduo is a third-party e-commerce platform with over 300 million active users. It sells discounted products by incorporating social networking into online shopping. The company debuted on the Nasdaq stock exchange July 26. (Xinhua)